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NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Hindu nationalist party is poised to wrest control of the state of West Bengal, an opposition
stronghold, in a key local election. The Election Commission of India released partial results showing the Bharatiya Janata Party ahead in at least 190 seats in the 294-member West Bengal state legislature. Final results are expected Monday evening.
This potential victory would mark a significant breakthrough for Modi’s party, which has attempted for years to dislodge the All India Trinamool Congress government led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The BJP has never governed West Bengal, a politically influential state, where Banerjee — one of Modi’s most prominent critics — has held power since 2011.Opposition parties have sharply criticized the polls in West Bengal after the election commission removed millions of voters from electoral rolls. Three other states are also participating in the latest election.
The South Asian country of more than 1.4 billion people has 28 states and eight federal territories. Staggered state elections are held at different times across India, with a few state polls scheduled almost every year.
The outcome in West Bengal is expected to enhance Modi’s standing and solidify his political position midway through his third term in office, especially after the 2024 national election forced his ruling party to rely on regional allies to form a government.
Modi is anticipated to run for a record fourth term in office in 2029. The Indian opposition has struggled to present a unified and sustained challenge to the BJP’s dominance nationwide.
Banerjee had emerged as a prominent national challenger to Modi, particularly after positioning herself as a key leader to unite regional parties against the BJP. Her defeat is likely to weaken her influence within an opposition bloc already divided by regional rivalries.
In the southern state of Tamil Nadu, popular movie star Joseph Vijay, who launched the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam party only two years ago, is on track to oust the ruling DMK party. Tamil Nadu, one of India’s most developed states, has a history of electing movie stars to the top office.
In Kerala, another southern state, the Indian National Congress-led opposition appears poised to defeat the ruling communist government, thereby ending leftist rule in one of its last remaining strongholds.
Modi’s party is also set to return to power in the northeastern state of Assam for a third consecutive term.
