Modi's BJP Wins Control of West Bengal in Key Indian State Election

India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, won control of the eastern state of West Bengal in assembly elections, marking the first time the party has governed the opposition stronghold. The Election Commission of India released partial results on May 4, 2026, showing the BJP had secured at least 124 seats in the 294-member assembly while leading in 83 others.

This outcome dislodged the All India Trinamool Congress, which had held power under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee since 2011. West Bengal, a politically influential state, had been a key target for the BJP, which has sought to expand its reach beyond its traditional northern base.

Opposition parties criticized the election process after the Election Commission removed millions of voters from the electoral rolls before polling began in April. Banerjee, one of Modi's prominent critics, saw her party fail to secure a majority, with supporters dismantling election billboards in Kolkata following the results.

Modi addressed supporters at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi on May 4, 2026, shortly after the results emerged, waving amid confetti and cheers. He described the win as evidence of the party's growing appeal in a state where it had historically struggled. The prime minister linked the victory to broader national trends, speaking to a crowd that included party workers shouting slogans.

“A new chapter has been added to Bengal’s destiny.”

In the northeastern state of Assam, the BJP retained power for a third consecutive term, with candidate Diplu Ranjan Sarmah among those celebrating victories in Guwahati. Party workers there gathered to mark early leads, displaying victory signs as results came in on May 4.

Elections in additional states produced shifts in power.

In the southern state of Tamil Nadu, actor-turned-politician Joseph Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam party, launched two years ago, ousted the ruling DMK party. Vijay's supporters in Chennai displayed his photographs during celebrations on May 4, 2026, continuing Tamil Nadu's pattern of electing film stars to leadership roles.

In Kerala, another southern state, the Indian National Congress-led opposition defeated the ruling communist government, ending leftist control in one of its few remaining strongholds. These staggered state elections occur annually across India's 28 states and eight federal territories, which together have more than 1.4 billion people.

The West Bengal result arrives midway through Modi's third term, which began after the 2024 national election required the BJP to form a government with regional allies. Modi is expected to seek a fourth term in the 2029 general election. Banerjee had positioned herself as a leader uniting regional parties against the BJP, but her defeat may reduce her influence within opposition alliances marked by internal divisions.

The BJP's success in West Bengal follows years of efforts to challenge Trinamool Congress dominance. Partial results were announced on May 4, 2026, with the Election Commission providing updates throughout the day. India-wide, state governments were ousted in two other regions during the April polls, while the BJP held onto Assam.