New Delhi, May 5: BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal on Tuesday hailed the party’s sweeping victory in West Bengal, attributing it to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s grassroots outreach and symbolic gestures that resonated with voters. Speaking at a celebration event in Delhi, Khandelwal said even a simple snack like jhalmuri carried symbolic significance in the party’s triumph.

“Under PM Modi’s leadership, the BJP secured an unprecedented victory in West Bengal. Even jhalmuri has symbolic significance in this win - PM Modi’s support for local products turned it into a symbol of connection with the common man. While campaigning in West Bengal, he saw a small shop of jhalmuri and stopped to buy it. Mamata Banerjee mocked this gesture. Today, we’re celebrating this victory with BJP workers, journalists, and prominent citizens in Delhi. Join us and enjoy jhalmuri,” Khandelwal said.



The BJP MP emphasized that the gesture reflected the party’s grassroots connect and struck a chord with voters across the state. He also highlighted the broader political implications of the victory, noting that it would strengthen the BJP-NDA’s ability to push forward key national issues such as “one nation, one election,” curbing illegal immigration, and implementing the Uniform Civil Code (UCC).

The landmark victory marks a significant shift in West Bengal’s political landscape. According to the final results of the Assembly elections, the BJP secured 206 seats out of 293 declared constituencies, comfortably crossing the two-thirds majority mark of 196 in the 294-member Assembly. The All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) finished with 81 seats, while the Congress won two and the CPI(M) secured one. Smaller parties like the All India Secular Front (AISF) and the Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) won one and two seats, respectively.

Also Read: From Street Snack to Symbol: How Jhalmuri Spiced Up Bengal Elections

In terms of vote share, the BJP polled 46 per cent, followed by the TMC at 41 per cent. The Left Front secured 4 per cent, the Congress 3 per cent, and others accounted for 6 per cent. The TMC also failed to win a single seat in several districts, including Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling, Bankura, and Purulia, and was defeated in all tribal- and Matua-dominated constituencies.

The scale of the BJP’s victory, coupled with symbolic campaign moments like the jhalmuri episode, underscores the party’s growing influence in Bengal and sets the stage for significant political developments ahead.