What Happened in India’s West Bengal?
Key takeaways
- Last week, election results in the Indian state of West Bengal revealed the dramatic defeat of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) party, which ruled the state legislature for the past 15 years.
- Capturing nearly 46 percent of the vote to the AITC’s 41 percent, the BJP won 207 seats in the legislature while the AITC picked up 80.
- A combination of factors explains the BJP’s success.
Last week, election results in the Indian state of West Bengal revealed the dramatic defeat of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) party, which ruled the state legislature for the past 15 years. The Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, which leads India’s national government and controls 22 other states and union territories, finally breached this regional bastion.
Capturing nearly 46 percent of the vote to the AITC’s 41 percent, the BJP won 207 seats in the legislature while the AITC picked up 80. It also unseated longtime West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. So, what explains this stunning victory in the state, which prides itself on its subnational ethos?
Last week, election results in the Indian state of West Bengal revealed the dramatic defeat of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) party, which ruled the state legislature for the past 15 years. The Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, which leads India’s national government and controls 22 other states and union territories, finally breached this regional bastion.