KOLKATA: Suvendu Adhikari on Monday defeated Mamata Banerjee, outgoing Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo, in her home turf of Bhabanipur constituency for the second time since the 2021 Assembly elections in West Bengal, virtually positioning himself as a frontrunner for the Chief Minister’s post in the state.
In 2021, Suvendu Adhikari, now Leader of the Opposition, had won by a narrow margin of around 2,000 votes against Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram, East Midnapore district.
With a comfortable lead in 208 of the 294 Assembly seats on Monday, the BJP is set to form government in West Bengal for the first time by 9 May. The Trinamool Congress, which had won 215 seats in the 2021 elections, is currently leading in 79 seats.
After a day-long suspense at the Sakhawat Memorial Girls’ High School, Suvendu Adhikari was declared the winner against Mamata Banerjee with a margin of 15,114 votes.
With the results tilting in its favour, the BJP’s lotus symbol appeared to have made significant gains in West Bengal. Following Mamata Banerjee’s defeat, more than 15 ministers, including senior members of her cabinet, also lost their seats to the saffron party.
Counting across 293 Assembly constituencies in 77 centres began on Monday morning, with early trends showing the BJP steadily moving towards a decisive majority over the Trinamool Congress.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) countermanded polling in the entire Falta constituency in South 24 Parganas district, citing “severe electoral offences and subversion of the democratic process during polling in a large number of polling stations”.
In the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections, the Trinamool Congress won 215 seats to secure a third consecutive term since 2011, when it ousted the CPI(M)-led Left Front government. The BJP had won 77 seats in that election.
BJP Bengal president Samik Bhattacharya expressed confidence in a landslide victory, stating that the people had rejected the Trinamool Congress government. He said the BJP was not only aiming to win but expected an overwhelming majority as counting progressed, and urged party supporters to maintain peace and harmony.
Mamata Banerjee, in a video message earlier in the day, instructed party polling agents not to leave counting centres, stating that the party was leading in around 70 to 100 seats. “Please wait till the 14th round of counting. Do not get tense or panic. We will fight like cubs. After sunset, we are winning,” she said, at a time when the BJP was reportedly leading in more than 190 seats.
The BJP’s early momentum pointed to a potentially decisive breakthrough in a closely contested and politically significant election, with anti-incumbency sentiment appearing to spread across the state after 15 years of Trinamool rule.
Strong BJP leads in north and south Bengal suggested a geographically split mandate, with the party gaining ground in border, tribal and industrial regions, while the TMC retained pockets in Kolkata and select rural areas.
In Bhabanipur, the contest between Mamata Banerjee and Suvendu Adhikari saw multiple swings throughout the day, with shifting leads in different rounds of counting.
In Nandigram, another key constituency, television reports indicated Adhikari was ahead by over 3,100 votes against TMC’s Pabitra Kar after the first round, although official figures from the ECI were still awaited.
Aam Janata Unnayan Party chief Humayun Kabir was also leading in the Nowda and Rejinagar seats in Murshidabad district after the fourth round of counting.
According to ECI sources, the BJP increased its vote share to 45 per cent from 38 per cent in the 2021 elections, while the Trinamool Congress’s share fell to 41 per cent from 48 per cent.
The Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM), an ally of the TMC in the Darjeeling hills, was leading in Kalimpong, highlighting the region’s complex political dynamics.
The CPI(M) opened its account in the Assembly for the first time since 2021, winning one seat in Domkal, Murshidabad district.
Exit polls had earlier suggested a BJP advantage, projecting between 142 and 171 seats, while the TMC was expected to win between 99 and 140 seats. These projections indicated a possible BJP majority, though official results were still being finalised.
Anticipating a change in government, security arrangements were tightened at the state secretariat Nabanna and other government offices, with heavy deployment of Central Armed Police Forces and state police personnel. CAPF personnel were seen checking government employees at entry and exit points to prevent the removal of official documents.
