Bhubaneswar, May 4: As counting continues for the 2026 West Bengal Legislative Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has surged past the majority mark.

By 4 PM, the party has already won four seats and was leading in 194 seats out of 293, while the Trinamool Congress (TMC) trailed with leads in 88 constituencies, besides winning one.

The final results are expected later in the evening, but the early trends have already triggered strong political reactions.

Pravati Parida Takes a Dig at Mamata

Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida reacted sharply to the developments, linking the outcome to the recent controversy surrounding the Jagannath temple in Digha.

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“When the dispute over Jagannath Dham arose, we had said that disrespect to Mahaprabhu would not be tolerated. Today, it has been proven true. Whoever tries to play with Mahaprabhu, he himself clears their path,” said the Odisha Dy CM.

“Mahaprabhu does not spare anyone’s arrogance, whether man or woman,” Parida told reporters, in a veiled attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Odisha’s former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

The ‘Jagannath Dham’ Controversy

The controversy erupted earlier this year when the newly built temple in Digha was named “Jagannath Dham.” The move sparked outrage in Odisha, where Puri is revered as the sole and original Jagannath Dham.

Religious leaders, servitors, and devotees strongly opposed the nomenclature, calling it an assault on Odisha’s cultural heritage. Concerns also arose over the installation of wooden idols outside Puri, which many considered a violation of tradition, as the sacred Brahma is believed to reside only in Puri.

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi had even written to Mamata Banerjee, urging her government not to use the term “Dham” for the Digha temple.

Following widespread protests, the West Bengal government eventually dropped the word “Dham” from the temple’s name.

However, the issue became a flashpoint in the election campaign, with BJP leaders accusing Mamata Banerjee of disrespecting Jagannath traditions, while Banerjee alleged that the BJP was politicizing religion.

As the BJP inches closer to forming the government in West Bengal, the temple controversy has resurfaced in political discourse. For many in Odisha, the developments are seen as vindication of their cultural pride and devotion to Lord Jagannath.

With final results awaited, the political narrative continues to intertwine faith, tradition, and electoral fortunes.