BJP celebrates Bengal Assembly lead with jhalmuri, trends show 194 seats
Synopsis
BJP turns jhalmuri into a victory symbol as West Bengal counting trends put the party ahead in 194 seats against TMC's 89. From PM Modi's viral Jhargram snack stop to Cabinet ministers eating jhalmuri at the Delhi Secretariat, a street food has become the defining image of what BJP leaders are calling a historic Bengal breakthrough.
Key Takeaways
BJP led in 194 seats in West Bengal Assembly elections as of 3:45 pm IST on 4 May , per ECI trends.
Trinamool Congress (TMC) was ahead in 89 seats ; BJP had won 3 outright, TMC 1 .
PM Modi's viral jhalmuri stop in Jhargram during campaigning sparked the snack's political symbolism.
Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi shared images of himself eating jhalmuri in celebration.
Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde credited Home Minister Amit Shah's decade-long effort for the result.
Delhi CM Rekha Gupta and Cabinet colleagues shared jhalmuri and rasgulla at the Delhi Secretariat .
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on 4 May turned the Bengali street snack jhalmuri into a nationwide symbol of celebration, as early counting trends from the West Bengal Assembly elections showed the party surging ahead with leads in 194 seats, while the Trinamool Congress (TMC) was ahead in 89. According to trends from the Election Commission of India (ECI) at 3:45 pm IST, the BJP had already won three seats outright, while the TMC had secured one.
How Jhalmuri Became a Political Symbol
The snack's political journey began during the final phase of campaigning, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a widely shared roadside stop in Jhargram, where he was seen eating jhalmuri. The moment went viral almost immediately. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee dismissed it as a staged act, but the optics had already taken hold.
The snack's name derives from the Bengali word
Point of View
The party has already won the imagery war in Bengal. The deeper question is structural: if these trends translate into government, the BJP will inherit a state with entrenched TMC networks at the grassroots, and symbolism alone will not govern. The real test begins the morning after the jhalmuri.
NationPress
28 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the West Bengal Assembly election results trends as of 4 May?
As of 3:45 pm IST on 4 May, BJP was leading in 194 seats and had won 3, while TMC was ahead in 89 seats and had secured 1, according to Election Commission of India trends. These are early counting trends and not final results.
Why is jhalmuri associated with BJP's West Bengal campaign?
PM Modi stopped roadside in Jhargram during the final campaign phase and was photographed eating jhalmuri, a spicy Bengali puffed-rice snack. The moment went viral and Modi later quipped at a rally, 'I ate jhalmuri, but TMC felt the jhal,' turning it into a campaign catchphrase.
What did Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi say about the West Bengal results?
Manjhi shared images of himself eating jhalmuri and said, 'On the victory in West Bengal, jalebi won't do — just jhalmuri will suffice.' He also congratulated PM Modi and credited Home Minister Amit Shah's 'unmatched hard work' for the result.
What did Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde say about the Bengal trends?
Shinde called the day 'historic,' saying BJP had served Mamata Banerjee a 'bitter jhalmuri of failure.' He credited Home Minister Amit Shah's decade-long effort for dismantling the TMC stronghold and described the result as significant during the RSS centenary year.
How did Delhi celebrate the Bengal election trends?
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and her Cabinet colleagues gathered at the Delhi Secretariat to share jhalmuri and rasgulla, with Gupta posting on X that the country was 'turning saffron' under PM Modi's leadership.
