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Trump congratulates PM Modi on BJP's Bengal win: ‘Historic, decisive’
The BJP crossed the majority mark in the 294-member West Bengal Assembly elections, winning 206 seats, according to the Election Commission of India.
United States President Donald Trump extended his congratulations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the BJP registered victory in the West Bengal Assembly elections, the White House said on Tuesday.
“The President congratulates Prime Minister Modi on this recent, historic, and decisive election victory,” White House spokesperson Kush Desai said.
The BJP crossed the majority mark in the 294-member West Bengal Assembly, winning 206 seats, according to the Election Commission of India. With polling in the Falta constituency countermanded, the effective majority mark stood at 147.
Bengal results: How BJP breached fortress
The BJP has won 206 seats in the 294-seat Bengal Assembly, with the Trinamool Congress led by Mamata Banerjee securing only 80 seats when the results were declared on Monday.
The Indian National Congress and Aam Janata Unnayan party won two seats each, while Communist Party of India (Marxist) and All India Secular Front got one seat each.
The mandate in Bengal was a result of the BJP's campaign pitch, as well as anti-incumbency in the state, according to an earlier HT report. This time around, the BJP was able to shed the ‘Bohiragoto (outsider)’ tag given by the TMC, and was also successful in stoking the fear of illegal immigrants. The party's campaign also largely steered clear of personal comments on the incumbent Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee.
BJP carried out a localised campaign, focusing onslogans such as "Joy Ma Kali" and “Joy Ma Durga” and booth-level management. The efforts paid off on May 4 as the state which was the birth place of Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee gets its first BJP government, something also mentioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address at the party headquarters in Delhi on Monday.
Focus now on Bengal CM pick
While TMC chief Mamata Banerjee has termed her defeat as a “conspiracy” and refused to resign as the CM, this would not prevent Bengal from getting a new chief minister. Under Article 164 of the Constitution of India, a CM holds office as long as they enjoy the confidence of the Assembly.
Given that her majority is lost, Mamata's government is constitutionally untenable. While the TMC chief seems adamant on challenging the results, the BJP will now be focusing on picking the new chief minister for Bengal.
Suvendu Adhikari, the leader of opposition in West Bengal assembly, who defeated Banerjee on her home turf of Bhabanipur, has emerged as the frontrunner for the post. However, other party leaders said BJP has not ruled out names of state unit chief Samik Bhattacharya and vice-president Agnimitra Paul as potential CM faces.
