BJP seizes 207 seats in West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee loses Bhabanipur stronghold

Key facts

• BJP won 207 of 294 seats; Trinamool Congress got 80.
• Mamata Banerjee lost her Bhabanipur seat to Suvendu Adhikari by 10,994 votes.
• 22 of 35 TMC ministers were defeated, including Banerjee.
• 63% of the TMC cabinet lost their seats.
• 90 lakh voters were deleted under the Special Intensive Revision before the election.
• RG Kar rape victim's mother Ratna Debnath won in Panihati as BJP candidate.
• Clashes between BJP and TMC supporters occurred in Cooch Behar's Dinhata.
• BJP candidate Ajay Roy led by over 10,000 votes in Dinhata.

BJP's landslide victory ends TMC's decade-long rule

The Bharatiya Janata Party secured 207 seats in the 294-member West Bengal assembly, marking its first-ever government in the state. The Trinamool Congress, led by Mamata Banerjee, managed only 80 seats, a dramatic fall from its previous majority. Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared that Bengal has been freed from fear and will now progress. The results were announced on May 9, with counting beginning at 8 am on Monday across all constituencies.

Banerjee loses Bhabanipur to former lieutenant Adhikari

Mamata Banerjee, chief minister since 2011, lost her own Bhabanipur constituency to Suvendu Adhikari, a former TMC leader who had joined the BJP and served as leader of opposition in the outgoing assembly. Adhikari led by 10,994 votes. Banerjee alleged that the mandate in more than 100 seats was 'looted' and called the BJP victory 'immoral'. She said, 'We will bounce back,' as she left the counting centre at Sakhawat Memorial Government Girls' High School.

63% of TMC ministers defeated in BJP wave

Out of 35 TMC ministers who contested, 22 lost, including Banerjee. Key portfolios lost include housing, power, education, transport, and women and child development. Among the defeated were Aroop Biswas (Tollygunge), Bratya Basu (Dum Dum), Chandrima Bhattacharya (Dum Dum Uttar), and Shashi Panja (Shyampukur). The scale of the defeat reflects a broader shift in voter sentiment, with BJP leaders claiming an 'end of appeasement politics' and a mandate for nationalism.

Clashes erupt in Cooch Behar during counting

Tensions flared in Dinhata, Cooch Behar district, where BJP and TMC supporters clashed. Central forces resorted to baton charges to bring the situation under control. BJP candidate Ajay Roy was leading by more than 10,000 votes against TMC's Udayan Guha. Security around Banerjee's Kalighat residence was also beefed up after a group raised 'Jai Shree Ram' slogans near her home, following an Election Commission directive.

Congress and CPM weigh in on the outcome

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi expressed agreement with Banerjee's claim that more than 100 seats were stolen. The CPM's state secretary Mohammed Salim said the mandate was against TMC's 'corruption, tyrannical rule and misgovernance', and that the BJP filled the opposition space. The RG Kar rape victim's mother, Ratna Debnath, won the Panihati seat as a BJP candidate, defeating TMC's Tirthankar Ghosh, son of a five-time sitting MLA.

Election conducted after deletion of 90 lakh voters

This election was the first after a record deletion of 90 lakh voters in Bengal under the Special Intensive Revision. The move had raised concerns about disenfranchisement. Banerjee alleged that the Election Commission, with central forces, acted illegally in connivance with Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. The BJP, however, described the current phase as a 'golden period', with Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva and Assam BJP president Dilip Saikia praising the trends.

Outlook: A new political era for West Bengal

The BJP's victory reshapes the political landscape of a state long dominated by the TMC. With a double-engine government, the party promises accelerated development. Banerjee's allegations of irregularities may fuel legal challenges, but the scale of the BJP's win leaves little room for reversal. The results also signal a broader national trend of BJP consolidation, as the party performed strongly in other state elections. For Bengal, the end of TMC's 15-year rule marks a historic shift.

The bottom line

• BJP won 207 seats, TMC 80, in a historic mandate for the first BJP government in West Bengal.
• Mamata Banerjee lost her own seat to Suvendu Adhikari, a former TMC leader now in BJP.
• 63% of TMC ministers were defeated, reflecting a broad anti-incumbency wave.
• The election was held after a controversial deletion of 90 lakh voters.
• Clashes and allegations of irregularities marked the counting day.
• The RG Kar victim's mother won as a BJP candidate, symbolizing a shift in public sentiment.