mark Mamata Banerjee – Mamata Banerjee Kolkata: Voters have handed over the reins of Bengal to the BJP, marking only the second change of power in the last 10 assembly elections and triggering a seismic shift, the tremors of which will be felt beyond the state. The Trinamool Congress’ fort collapsed under the twin attack of strong anti-incumbency and nearly 12% reduction in the voter list by the SIR process, handing a historic victory to the BJP in the state which is often seen as the last frontier for that party. In power at the Center since 2014.

BJP had won 206 seats and was leading on one after securing 45. 8% votes. TMC’s vote share declined from 48% to 40.

8% in 2021, its 215 seats in the outgoing assembly dropped to 81 (wins and gains till midnight), indicating a sharp turn away from the party that favored Bengal nativism over nationalist politics. A handful of TMC strongholds, such as South 24 Parganas, East Burdwan and Howrah, may see a huge decline in votes as the BJP wins on a large scale.

States, from north to south. The saffron party dominated almost completely in the north and in the south-western districts of Jhargram, Purulia and East Midnapore, the TMC was completely decimated.

The big hit of the saffron wave was among urban and suburban voters in Kolkata and its outskirts – Mamata’s southern bastion, where she had 123 seats out of 142. The number dropped to 52 as TMC lost 10 seats in Kolkata (including Mamata’s own Bhawanipur), a large part of North 24 Parganas (including Panihati, where the mother of rape and murder victim RG Kar junior doctor was the BJP candidate) and Howrah.