Page 9 - West Bengal

Split in minority votes cracks TMC bastions in West Bengal, fuels BJP surge

In an election that has upended West Bengal's entrenched political arithmetic, the BJP's sweeping victory has drawn its decisive momentum not merely from traditional strongholds but from unexpected gains in Muslim-dominated districts, where a fractured minority vote quietly rewrote the script that had long favoured the TMC. For over a decade, the TMC's dominance in districts such as Murshidabad, Malda and Uttar Dinajpur rested on a near-complete consolidation of Muslim votes, a bloc that accounts for 50 per cent or more of the population in large parts of this belt. That group, forged in the aftermath of the Left Front's decline in 2011 and reinforced during the polarised 2021 election, appears to have splintered this time with far-reaching consequences. The numbers tell a stark story. Of the 43 assembly seats spread across these three districts, the BJP has surged from just eight seats in 2021 to 19 now. The TMC, which had dominated with 35 seats, has been reduced to 22. The ...

BJP's West Bengal win: L&T, Bandhan Bank among others may gain, say experts

The BJP's victory in West Bengal, wrote analysts at Nomura in a note, could lead to expectations of improved governance, ease of doing business and enhanced infrastructure spending.

Central schemes likely to get fresh push after BJP's West Bengal win

The prime example of this is MGNREGA, which has now been replaced by the new Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Aajeevika Mission (GRAMIN) or VB-G RaM G

BJP, West Bengal, Hinduised-nationalism and the X factor in politics

You'd err if you credit or blame the BJP success only on Hindutva. It's more than that. It is Hinduised-nationalism

West Bengal poll results: BJP scripts historic victory, crosses 200 seats

West Bengal Assembly election results: BJP crosses majority mark with strong gains, while TMC suffers losses as vote share dips and key regions swing towards BJP in 2026 polls

How new faces and new phases define the 5 Assembly election results

From Bengal to Tamil Nadu, shifting political equations signal turbulence ahead, with opposition battles, new leadership tests, and economic challenges shaping state agendas

BJP win may revive corporate interest in WB; realty may see achhe din: Analysts

A BJP win in West Bengal, said G Chokkalingam, founder and head of research at Equinomics, could see economic growth-related initiatives. More corporate capital, he said could find its way into WB.

West Bengal election results 2026: How key candidates are performing

Vote counting is underway in West Bengal, with BJP ahead in 194 seats as of 2 pm. Counting began at 8 am across 77 centres for 293 constituencies in 23 districts

West Bengal election: Mamata tells TMC agents to stay put as BJP leads

Mamata Banerjee urged TMC workers to stay at counting centres, alleging BJP and the Election Commission were hiding TMC's real lead as Bengal trends showed BJP ahead

No victory rallies allowed today after announcement of results: Bengal CEO

West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal said no rallies celebrating the victory of candidates will be allowed in the state on Monday as the counting of votes for 293 assembly seats was underway. He said the counting is going fine and no violence has been reported in the state. "We have directed all DMs not to allow any victory rallies today. These victory processions will be allowed from tomorrow. We don't want any post-poll violence and appeal to everyone to stay calm and maintain peace," the CEO said. Political parties need to take permission from local police stations to bring out victory rallies, he said. "There has been no incident of violence. Any poll-related death was reported from anywhere in Bengal," Agarwal said. The poll panel was looking into complaints that agents of different parties were unable to reach the counting centres, special observer Subrata Gupta told reporters earlier in the day.

Jobs for Bengal, end to migration pain: PM Modi’s big promise at West Bengal poll rally

Bengal endured pain of migration for decades due to lack of jobs, BJP govt's priority will be employment for youth: PM Modi at poll rally.

Tight security across Bengal as counting of votes for Assembly polls begins

More than 250,000 personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), along with the state police, have been deployed at 77 counting centres across 23 districts under a multi-layered security grid

Mamata alleges irregularities near strong rooms, asks workers to stay alert

TMC supremo claimed she had received reports from multiple districts regarding phased load-shedding and disruptions in CCTV surveillance

Street signs: Of balance sheets and West Bengal, Bandhan's 40% sprint

The IPO market feels oddly still these days with only a couple of equity offerings trickling through the past six weeks

EC orders repoll in 285 booths in Bengal's Falta on May 21; counting May 24

The Commission's decision effectively annuls the earlier voting in the constituency, with fresh polling now scheduled later this month

West Bengal repolls: Nearly 72% voter turnout till 3 pm in 15 booths

Voting began at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm, the official said, adding that till 3 pm, the turnout was 72.43 per cent

'SC asked ECI to implement circular, didn't dismiss TMC plea': Kapil Sibal

In the Supreme Court, we decided not to challenge the circular, instead urged the court to implement the circular, said Kapil Sibal while addressing a press conference

'No further order needed': SC on TMC plea against EC order on vote counting

The Supreme Court on Saturday said no further order was necessary on the TMC's plea challenging the Calcutta High Court's dismissal of its petition against an Election Commission circular on the deployment of central government personnel for vote counting in West Bengal. A special bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi said the Election Commission (EC) can choose counting personnel and its April 13 circular cannot be said to be incorrect. The poll body said the circular is very clear that there will be a mix of central and state government employees and the apprehension of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) of any wrongdoing is misplaced. The EC assured the court that the circular would be implemented in letter and spirit. At the outset, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the TMC, said the circular was dated April 13, but they came to know about it on April 29. The bench, which held a special sitting, said that the EC can choose counting personnel from only one pool

TMC alleges unauthorised sorting of postal ballot covers, files complaint

The TMC on Saturday said it has filed a complaint with the Election Commission, alleging unauthorised sorting of postal ballot covers at an EVM strongroom in Kolkata. TMC workers, who have been camping outside the Khudiram Anushilan Kendra, alleged that eight trunks of postal ballots were brought in at 4 am and were taken to a room, which has no CCTV coverage. "We have been demanding that every single millimetre of space where EVMs and postal ballots be under CCTV surveillance. But as these trunks were taken inside, it was clear that they were taken to a room not under CCTV cover. Why should this happen," a TMC member asked. Voting machines from several assembly segments of northern and eastern Kolkata are stored at the strongroom at Khudiram Anushilan Kendra. As TMC activists were demonstrating, BJP's Shyampukur candidate Purnima Chakraborty reached the spot with her supporters, escalating tensions. Both sides started shouting slogans as police stood between them, attempting to b

WB repolls: EVM glitch halts voting for an hour at Diamond Harbour booth

The re-polling comes after BJP's Amit Malviya alleged that voters were prevented from choosing the party candidate at several polling booths in Falta under the Diamond Harbour constituency