Top BJP leaders, including Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, are projecting significant electoral success for the party in the ongoing West Bengal assembly elections. Their confident statements come after a historic voter turnout in the initial phase of polling.
BJP Confident After First Phase
Speaking to reporters in Kolkata, Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed his belief that the BJP could secure over 200 seats in the 294-member assembly. He described a noticeable shift in public sentiment towards the BJP, unlike anything he had observed in previous West Bengal elections in 2016 and 2019. Sarma attributed this change to the atmosphere following the first phase of voting, which concluded on April 23, 2026.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah echoed this optimism, asserting that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee were on their way out of power. Based on the BJP's internal assessments, Shah claimed a "clean sweep" in the constituencies that voted in the first phase. He further predicted that the BJP would win more than 110 of the 152 seats covered in the first two phases, positioning the party to form the government in West Bengal.
Record Voter Turnout Fuels Speculation
The first phase of the West Bengal elections saw an extraordinary 92.9% voter turnout, the highest recorded since India's independence. Approximately 3.6 crore registered voters participated across 152 of the state's 294 assembly seats. This figure significantly surpasses the 82.30% turnout recorded in the 2021 elections, where the TMC ultimately retained power with 213 seats.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar lauded the historic participation, particularly in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, acknowledging the dedication of every voter. The Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) played a role, with nearly 91 lakh names deleted from the electoral rolls and seven lakh new voters added, reducing the total electorate from 7.6 crore to 6.8 crore. Areas like Murshidabad, North 24 Parganas, Malda, Nadia, and South 24 Parganas experienced high deletion rates, while Kolkata saw a reduction of almost seven lakh voters. The deployment of 2.4 lakh Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel ensured security, and many citizens reportedly returned to the state to vote amidst concerns over voter list deletions and citizenship issues.
High Turnout in Specific Constituencies
- South Dinajpur recorded a 95.36% turnout.
- Cooch Behar saw 95.5% participation.
- Several constituencies in Murshidabad crossed the 96% mark.