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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted his supporters upon arriving at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters, celebrating the party’s victory in the West Bengal and Assam state legislative elections in New Delhi on May 4, 2026.
Votes are still being counted under tight security in the over 100 million-person state, one of five regions holding elections in April and May, with results expected to be announced soon.
This victory is expected to strengthen Modi’s position as he faces ongoing economic and foreign policy hurdles, such as high unemployment and an upcoming U.S. trade agreement, ahead of the 2029 national elections.
In West Bengal, a state where the BJP has never previously won, the party is leading in 156 of the 293 seats and has secured 48 others, based on data from the Election Commission of India.
Modi shared on social media, “The 2026 West Bengal Assembly Elections will be remembered forever. The people’s power has triumphed, and BJP’s governance-oriented politics has prevailed.” He also credited the party’s dedicated workers across generations for the win, praising their efforts.
Supporters and senior officials celebrated the victory exuberantly in Kolkata, dancing to celebratory music.
The BJP, which is the ruling party at the national level, launched an aggressive campaign to oust Mamata Banerjee’s powerful regional party, which has been in control of West Bengal since 2011.
During vote counting, clashes broke out at several centers, and police used batons to control crowds—a reminder of the violence that has characterized past elections. The campaign was notably marked by protests over the removal of millions of names from voter rolls, a move officially aimed at disqualifying ineligible voters but criticized as discriminatory against marginalized and minority groups.
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