Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has hailed the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) decisive victory in the West Bengal assembly elections as the commencement of a “historic chapter” for the state.
Addressing a celebratory gathering at the party’s headquarters in New Delhi, the Prime Minister declared in Bengali, “Banglay poriborton hoye geche” [Changes have taken place in Bengal], signalling the end of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) era.
According to the latest election data, the BJP has established a commanding lead, securing 157 wins and leading in 51 additional seats, bringing their projected total to 208. Conversely, the TMC and its allies have won 53 seats and are leading in 26, for a total of 79, according to NDTV.
During his speech, the Prime Minister asserted that West Bengal is now “bhay mukt” [free from fear] and has been “filled with confidence in development.” He remarked that the BJP’s symbol, the lotus, is now blooming across the region “from Gangotri to Gangasagar.”
Emphasising a message of reconciliation and progress, Modi called on all political parties to prioritise “change over revenge” and to ensure the state’s “future trumps over fear”. He stated that the victory should be defined by badlav [change] rather than badla [revenge], and bhavishya [future] instead of bhay [fear].
The victory event was attended by high-ranking officials, including BJP President Nitin Nabin, alongside Union Ministers Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh.
Beyond West Bengal, the Indian prime minister expressed his gratitude to voters in Assam, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and Keralam for their trust in the “politics of performance” and “stability”.
Modi also offered a “special thank you” to the Election Commission and security personnel, praising their contribution to maintaining the “dignity of India’s democracy” during the electoral process.
However, the results have been met with sharp criticism from the incumbent leadership. Mamata Banerjee has refused to back down, alleging that the BJP and the Election Commission of India (ECI) “looted over 100 seats” as the BJP breached the majority mark in the state.
