BJP leads in West Bengal as counting trends show major shift in assembly election

India’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is poised for a potential first-ever government formation in West Bengal, according to early counting trends from the state assembly election.

As per results available so far on Monday (May 4), BJP is leading in 194 seats, while the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) is ahead in 96 seats in the 294-member assembly. A majority requires 148 seats.

Vote counting began at 8:00am across 77 counting centres in all 23 districts, including Kolkata. The election was held in two phases on April 23 and April 29. One constituency’s polling was cancelled due to reported irregularities, bringing the effective count to 293 seats.

Postal ballots were counted first, followed by votes from electronic voting machines (EVMs).

Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari has already claimed that BJP will form the government in the state.

Political observers note a possible shift in voting patterns, including in minority-dominated areas traditionally considered a strong support base for the Trinamool Congress.

Reports in Indian media suggest BJP may have made gains among sections of minority voters, challenging long-standing electoral assumptions in the state.

West Bengal politics has historically been dominated by the TMC in recent years, particularly since its 2011 victory over the Left Front. However, BJP has gradually expanded its presence since the 2019 general election, when it emerged as a major opposition force in the state.

Analysts point to several possible factors behind the changing trend, including local issues, candidate selection, internal factionalism within the TMC, and broader national political influences.

In the 2021 state assembly election, TMC won 214 seats, while BJP secured 77 seats, marking a significant rise for the party at the time.

The final results are still awaited as counting continues.

Sources: NDTV, ANI, The Indian Express.