In a landmark political shift, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) surged past the majority mark in the West Bengal Assembly elections on Monday (May 4, 2026), securing 202 seats and leading in four others, according to the Election Commission of India. The halfway mark in the 294-member Assembly stood at 148, but with polling in Falta countermanded and counting held for 293 seats, the effective majority mark dropped to 147.

The scale of the BJP’s victory signals a dramatic transformation in the State’s political landscape. Not only did the party retain its traditional strongholds in north Bengal and southwest Bengal, but it also made significant inroads into erstwhile bastions of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), particularly in Kolkata and its adjoining districts.

West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee conceded defeat, addressing the media in Kolkata after the results became clear. The outcome marks a major setback for the TMC, which had dominated the State’s political scene for over a decade.

A key highlight of the election was the performance of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, who emerged as one of the central figures of the party’s success. Mr. Adhikari established a commanding presence in two of the most closely watched constituencies — Bhabanipur and Nandigram. According to final figures released by the ECI after the 20th round of counting in Bhabanipur, he defeated Ms. Banerjee by a significant margin of 15,105 votes.

With this mandate, the BJP is now poised to form the next government in West Bengal, ushering in a new phase in the State’s political history.