Kolkata, 4 May — Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters erupted in celebration across Kolkata and several other parts of West Bengal on Monday as early trends from the West Bengal Assembly election count showed the party taking a lead. Outside multiple counting centres, large crowds of BJP workers — including women, youth, and members of the BJP Mahila Morcha — gathered with party flags, danced to music, and raised slogans as initial figures pointed to a strong showing for the party.

Scenes Outside Counting Centres

The atmosphere outside several counting centres in Kolkata was charged from the early hours of counting. BJP workers waved saffron flags, chanted party slogans, and broke into celebratory dances as trends emerged. Youth supporters were particularly prominent, joining in large numbers alongside women volunteers from the BJP Mahila Morcha. Party workers described the mood as one of long-awaited vindication.

Women Supporters Invoke Sandeshkhali and Safety Issues

A notable thread running through the celebrations was the voice of women supporters, who linked the early results to unresolved grievances around women's safety. Several women referred to the alleged incidents in Sandeshkhali, claiming that justice had not been delivered under the current state administration led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC).

"The Chief Minister of this state is a woman, but there is no respect for women. We are very happy to see the BJP winning," a party worker outside a counting centre in Kolkata said. Another supporter added, "This victory belongs to the people of Bengal. The people have given a strong response to the Trinamool Congress." A third worker said, "The women of Bengal have spoken. What happened in Sandeshkhali did not get justice. Today, we are very happy to see the trends as BJP is leading."

These remarks reflect a wider sentiment among BJP's women base in the state, who had consistently raised the Sandeshkhali episode — involving alleged land grab and sexual assault complaints against TMC-linked individuals — as a campaign issue throughout the election cycle.

PM Modi Credited for Political Mobilisation

Multiple supporters at the celebrations credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership for energising their political participation. "It is because of PM Modi that we were able to gather courage and defeat Mamata. This is our response to the atrocities faced by women," a BJP worker said. Such attributions underscore how the party's central leadership has remained a galvanising force in West Bengal, even as the contest is primarily a state-level battle against the entrenched TMC machinery.

Final Results Still Awaited

These remain early trends and official final results are yet to be declared. Counting was still underway as celebrations broke out, and the ultimate seat tally could shift as more rounds are completed. The BJP has contested the West Bengal Assembly elections as the primary challenger to the TMC, which has governed the state since 2011. A decisive BJP win, if the trends hold, would mark a historic political shift in one of India's most fiercely contested states. All eyes remain on the final count.