India's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has won the West Bengal state election, marking the first time it has successfully toppled the opposition's stronghold. This victory bolsters the central leader's power in his third term.
On 5 May 2026, international news agencies reported that India’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, achieved a significant victory in the state election by gaining control of West Bengal for the first time, marking a major breakthrough against the opposition's base.
The Election Commission of India released partial vote counts showing the BJP winning at least 124 seats out of the total 294 in the West Bengal state assembly, with prospects of gaining an additional 83 seats. Official results were expected to be announced later that same evening.
This victory represents a major advancement for the BJP, which has long sought to overthrow the All India Trinamool Congress led by Mamata Banerjee, the state’s chief minister since 2011 and a frequent critic of Modi.
However, the opposition has heavily criticized the election, citing reports that the Election Commission removed millions of voters from the electoral rolls.
The election was held concurrently in three states, with the West Bengal outcome seen as strengthening Modi’s political position mid-way through his third term. After the 2024 general election, his party needed coalition partners to form the government and is likely to seek another term in 2029.