In a unprecedented anti-incumbency wave, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has swept the West Bengal Assembly elections, winning or leading in over 200 seats. The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) has been pushed into the opposition with fewer than 100 seats.
In a major upset, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee lost her stronghold, the Bhabanipur constituency, to her rival Suvendu Adhikari. Adhikari defeated Banerjee by 15,105 votes.
Banerjee alleged irregularities and misconduct at the counting centre located in Sakhawat High School. She claimed she was physically mistreated and denied proper access during the process.
“They are beating us, they kicked me, they switched off the CCTV cameras and didn’t allow even one of my agents (TMC) to enter. I entered for five minutes,” said Mamata Banerjee, adding that despite assurances, no corrective action was taken.
She was seen leaving the counting centre visibly upset. Adhikari was also present at the venue during the counting. However, Banerjee refrained from directly commenting on him.
The loss of Bhabanipur is particularly significant for the TMC, as the constituency has been considered its stronghold since 2011.
Earlier, during the second phase of polling on April 29, Adhikari had expressed strong confidence about winning Bhabanipur. After visiting a polling booth at Mitra Institution, he told THE WEEK, “This is Mamata Banerjee’s booth. Mitra Institution, I will have a lead here. 200%.”
The election results have prompted introspection within the TMC. While its manifesto focused on continuing social welfare schemes and development projects, voter concerns appeared to shift toward industrial growth and employment opportunities. The BJP’s promise of a “double engine” government seemed to resonate with voters.
Another concern among the electorate was the perceived gap in the flow of central funds to the state. Voters expressed hope that a BJP-led government might ensure better implementation and development.
The BJP’s campaign themes, centered on Hindutva and anti-infiltration rhetoric, also gained traction. Its support for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), aimed at identifying illegal voters, found backing among sections of the population.
The Hindutva narrative and anti-infiltration rhetoric of the saffron party with Special Intensive Revision (SIR) meant to leave out illegal voters, showed many people were in favour of the electoral revision exercise. Another factor was the RG Kar Hospital rape and murder which saw the victim's mother Ratna Debnath contesting and winning from Panihati constituency. The common man saw this as a victory of justice for the victim. “More than BJP, this is a victory for Nirbhaya’s mother getting justice for her daughter who was raped. Today her soul will rest in peace,” said a common man on the streets of Kolkata, celebrating the saffron party’s victory.
The fallout from the controversial Lionel Messi event in December last year also appeared to influence voters. Both ministers Sujit Bose and Aroop Biswas, who were criticised over the incident, lost their seats.
This election marks a historic moment, as the BJP gets its first opportunity to govern West Bengal, a state long associated with the TMC’s slogan of ‘Maa, Maati, Manush’ (Mother, Land, People).