Kolkata (Gurpreet Singh): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday celebrated a landmark victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, describing the results as a definitive triumph of people’s power and a validation of the politics of good governance. Addressing the nation, the Prime Minister remarked that these elections would be remembered forever as a moment when the aspirations of the people prevailed over established political orders. He extended a deep salute to the citizens of West Bengal and pledged that the incoming government would work tirelessly to ensure dignity, opportunity, and the fulfilment of dreams for every section of society. Modi also attributed the success to the persistent struggles of generations of party workers who laboured on the ground despite facing significant adversities over the years.
The electoral landscape across the state saw several heavyweight candidates from the saffron party securing decisive wins, reflecting a broad statewide surge. Among the most notable victories was that of Dilip Ghosh, who re-established his political dominance by winning the Kharagpur Sadar seat with a margin exceeding 26,000 votes. Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari also maintained his stronghold in Nandigram by defeating a former aide by over 10,000 votes. In a particularly high-profile and tense contest in Bhabanipur, Adhikari held a slender lead of 554 votes against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after sixteen rounds of counting, with four rounds still remaining to determine the final outcome of that specific battleground.
Public sentiment played a visible role in several key constituencies, most notably in Panihati, where the mother of the RG Kar hospital victim secured a commanding lead. Her performance was seen by many as a direct reflection of local grievances and a demand for justice. The party’s strategy of fielding a mix of seasoned politicians and celebrity faces also appeared to yield results, as actor-turned-politician Rudranil Ghosh won in Shibpur and Rupa Ganguly emerged victorious in a tightly contested race in Sonarpur Dakshin. Furthermore, veteran figures such as Swapan Dasgupta and Tapas Roy delivered crucial wins in Rashbehari and Maniktala respectively, while Union Minister Nisith Pramanik and Shankar Ghosh reinforced the party’s presence in North Bengal with comfortable victories.
Despite the overarching success, the BJP faced specific challenges in urban bastions where the Trinamool Congress managed to hold its ground. In Kolkata Port, Rakesh Singh was unable to unseat TMC heavyweight Firhad Hakim, and in Entally, lawyer-activist Priyanka Tibrewal faced defeat despite a high-energy campaign. A narrow contest also persisted in Tollygunge, where Papiya Adhikari maintained a slim lead against TMC minister Aroop Biswas. As results were declared for 293 seats, the overall performance indicated a significant shift in West Bengal’s political alignment, characterised by high-profile gains for the BJP and a definitive promise of a new administrative era from the central leadership.
