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India elections: Modi’s BJP claims first win in West Bengal, ousting Mamata Banerjee’s TMC
BJP waged an aggressive campaign in West Bengal to dislodge Banerjee, who urged calm in a video released on Monday; she also alleged counting irregularities in some locations in the state
- PUBLISHED: Mon 4 May 2026, 5:58 PM
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimed victory on Monday in state elections in opposition-held West Bengal, where his party has never been in power before.
Partial results showed Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on course to dislodge the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) , with the prime minister hailing a "record win" in a social media post.
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It can be recalled when Modi was out campaigning in West Bengal last month, he took a break and approached a shop in Jhargram and asked for a classic Bengal item, the jhalmuri, a mix of puffed rice, onions, peanuts and spices.
When Vikram, the vendor, asked Modi if he ate onions, the PM responded: “Pyaaz khaate hain, dimag nahi khaate bas (I eat onions; I don’t eat brains).” He later posted on his official X platform: "In between four rallies across West Bengal on a packed Sunday, had some delicious jhalmuri in Jhalgram.”
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A BJP spokesman had then taunted that on May 4, the ruling All India Trinamool Congress would feel the spiciness of ‘jhalmuri’ as it gets trounced in the elections.
With the BJP heading for a historic win in West Bengal on Monday, party workers took to the streets with paper cones of ‘jhalmuri’, singing ‘jhal legeche.’
In Delhi, BJP chief minister Rekha Gupta and her ministers shared Bengali delicacies including ‘rasgulla’ and ‘jhalmuri’ in celebration of the party’s victory in West Bengal. The West Bengal unit of the party tweeted ‘Khela shesh’ (‘the game is over’), which soon flooded social media.
West Bengal's BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya earlier told AFP he was confident of winning. "It was an election of rejection," Bhattacharya said. "People of the state want change."
'Irregularities in some locations'
But Mamata Banerjee, whose party was losing the contest, alleged there were counting irregularities in some locations in the state. She accused the BJP of vandalising party offices which were being forcefully captured.
"With the help of central forces, they are harassing and torturing AITC workers. Our offices have been vandalised," she said.
Banerjee also urged calm in a video released early Monday, adding: "I want to request TMC candidates to not be disappointed. I had told you, that you all will win after sunset. Just wait and watch."
Meanwhile, Manoj Agarwal, the chief election officer in West Bengal, said no victory rallies would be allowed in the state on Monday. “Victory processions will be allowed from Tuesday,” he told reporters. “There has been no incidence of violence in the state,” he added.
Elections in West Bengal were held following a special intensive revision (SIR) undertaken by the Election Commission, which saw the deletion of over nine million voters.
(With inputs from AFP)
