West Bengal polls: Days after polling for the first phase of West Bengal was over, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma sounded an optimistic note for the BJP. He also predicted that the saffron party is going to win a huge number of seats in the state.
Speaking to reporters in Kolkata, Sarma said, "I can confidently say that the tsunami that has come, if it goes above 200 (BJP seats in West Bengal, it will not be a matter of surprise. I have attended every election in West Bengal in 2016 and 2019, but this time, the public's attitude towards the BJP is something that we have never seen before."
He said that people have now openly started supporting the BJP, adding that there is a change in the atmosphere after the first phase of voting concluded on April 23. "People now strongly believe that the BJP is going to win in West Bengal."
#WATCH | Kolkata, West Bengal: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma says, "... I can confidently say that the tsunami that has come if it goes above 200 (BJP seats in West Bengal), it will not be a matter of surprise. I have attended every election in West Bengal in 2016 and… pic.twitter.com/FcAK79X2gq
— ANI (@ANI) April 25, 2026
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On Friday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that Mamata Banerjee is on her way out of office, and it will be a clean sweep in the constituencies that went to polls in the first phase.
Citing the BJP's internal assessment, he claimed, “From the feedback we have received, the people of Bengal have decided their future in the first phase itself. This land has chosen development under the leadership of Narendra Modi. The voter turnout in the first phase has revealed that Didi is leaving, and the BJP is going to come to power."
Shah said that after the second phase of polling is over, the BJP will be in a solid position to form the government in West Bengal. “The BJP will win more than 110 of the 152 seats. This means that after the second phase, we will be in a position to form a BJP government in West Bengal.”
Record voter turnout in phase 1
West Bengal recorded 92.9% polling in Thursday’s first phase, the highest since Independence, with 3.6 crore registered voters voting in 152 of 294 seats. In 2021, turnout was 82.30%, and the TMC retained power with 213 seats.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said, "Highest ever percentage of polling in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu since Independence – ECI salutes each voter of West Bengal and Tamil Nadu." The turnout came after the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision deleted nearly 91 lakh names and added seven lakh voters.
The SIR cut the electorate from 7.6 crore to 6.8 crore. Murshidabad, North 24 Parganas, Malda, Nadia and South 24 Parganas saw high deletions, while Kolkata lost nearly seven lakh voters. Many people working outside the state returned to vote amid fears over deletion and citizenship, while 2.4 lakh CAPF personnel were deployed.
South Dinajpur recorded 95.36% turnout and Cooch Behar 95.5%, while several Murshidabad seats crossed 96%.
FAQs
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What did Himanta Biswa Sarma predict about the BJP's performance in the West Bengal polls?
Himanta Biswa Sarma said the BJP could win more than 200 seats in West Bengal and added that such a result would not be surprising given the strong public mood he claimed to have seen after the first phase of polling.
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What did Amit Shah say after the first phase of West Bengal polling?
Amit Shah said Mamata Banerjee is on her way out of office and claimed the BJP would make a clean sweep in the constituencies that voted in the first phase. He also said the party expected to win more than 110 of the 152 seats covered in the first two phases.
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How much voter turnout was recorded in the first phase of the West Bengal election?
West Bengal recorded 92.9 percent polling in the first phase, which was described as the highest since Independence. The voting took place in 152 of the 294 seats, with 3.6 crore registered voters participating.
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Why was the first-phase turnout in West Bengal considered significant?
The turnout was seen as significant because it was much higher than the 82.30 percent recorded in 2021 and was the highest since Independence.
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What changes in the voter list and election arrangements were mentioned in the article?
The Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision removed nearly 91 lakh names and added around seven lakh voters, reducing the electorate from 7.6 crore to 6.8 crore. Around 2.4 lakh CAPF personnel were deployed, while many people returned to vote amid concerns over deletion and citizenship.
Published on: Apr 25, 2026 1:50 PM IST
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