New Delhi — India’s ruling party, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is poised to take control of the politically significant state of West Bengal, marking a major breakthrough and a significant setback for the opposition.
Early results released by the Election Commission of India show the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leading in at least 190 seats in the 294-member state legislature. If confirmed, the victory would mark the first time the BJP forms a government in West Bengal, a region long dominated by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her All India Trinamool Congress party since 2011.
The development represents a major political shift in one of India’s most influential states and is expected to strengthen Modi’s national standing midway through his third term. The anticipated win also deals a significant blow to the opposition, which has struggled to present a unified challenge against the BJP’s growing dominance.
The election process, however, has not been without controversy. Opposition parties have raised concerns over the removal of millions of voters from electoral rolls, questioning the fairness of the process.
Beyond West Bengal, elections in other states also point to shifting political dynamics across India. In the southern state of Tamil Nadu, actor-turned-politician Joseph Vijay is on track to secure a major victory with his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam party, potentially unseating the incumbent government. Meanwhile, in Kerala, the Congress-led opposition appears set to defeat the long-standing communist government, signaling the end of leftist rule in one of its last strongholds.
In the northeastern state of Assam, Modi’s party is also expected to retain power for a third consecutive term, further consolidating its influence across the country.
The outcome in West Bengal, in particular, is likely to reshape India’s political landscape, weakening one of Modi’s most prominent critics and altering the balance of power among opposition leaders ahead of future national elections.