Even before May 4, when counting began for the West Bengal Assembly election, a sense of inevitability prevailed in the state — that, despite intense anti-incumbency against the TMC, it would still cross the 150-mark needed to stake a claim to another term in office. But nothing of that sort happened. Instead, the TMC, despite winning 80 seats, was swept away by the BJP’s electoral tsunami.

The BJP won 207 seats, as compared to the 77 seats it won during the 2021 elections. The conclusion: Mamata Banerjee, the three-time West Bengal CM, had met her Waterloo. She even lost to Suvendu Adhikari from the Bhabanipur constituency in south Kolkata in a high-profile contest.

Bhabanipur presents a distinctly composite electorate, reflecting a rich social and cultural mix. Approximately 42% of its voters are Bengali Hindus, while non-Bengali Hindus constitute about 34%. Muslims account for nearly a quarter of the electorate, alongside notable migrant communities from Bihar, Odisha, and Jharkhand, adding further diversity to the constituency’s demographic profile.

Shift among Bengali Hindu voters strengthens BJP

This time, however, the BJP’s support was not confined to segments of the non-Bengali Hindu trading classes, such as Gujaratis and Marwaris. There are clear indications of a broader realignment, with a discernible shift among Bengali Hindu voters as well, which appears to have significantly strengthened Suvendu Adhikari’s position.

The BJP’s landslide victory in West Bengal was driven........

© Free Press Journal