The political landscape of West Bengal has seen a dramatic shift over the past two Assembly elections. Between 2016 and 2021, the BJP surged from a marginal presence to the primary opposition — a shift that ultimately decimated the Congress and Left Front. Once significant opposition forces, they were completely wiped out in 2021.
A comparison between 2021 and 2016 shows how the state moved from a multi-cornered battle to a two-sided contest, with Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party emerging as the two main players of the state politics.
West Bengal Election 2021: TMC Holds Firm, BJP Surges, Opposition Collapses
In the West Bengal Legislative Assembly election, 2021, the big headline was clear: TMC retained power comfortably under Mamata Banerjee.
- TMC not only held on to power but also increased its seat tally significantly, holding 215 seats, reaffirming its dominance in the state.
- BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) made a meteoric rise, emerging as the principal opposition for the first time in Bengal politics. It jumped from a marginal presence to 77 seats, turning the election into a serious bipolar contest in terms of vote share and campaign intensity.
- The incumbent TMC government, led by Mamata Banerjee, won the election by a landslide. For the first time in the history of West Bengal, Congress failed to win any seats. The Left Front (including CPI(M)) also drew a blank.
Despite BJP's aggressive expansion, it fell well short of dislodging the ruling TMC, which successfully consolidated its social coalition and grassroots network.
Alternatively, a pivotal moment occurred in December 2020 when Suvendu Adhikari, a key Mamata Banerjee lieutenant, joined the BJP, citing grievances over the internal rise of Abhishek Banerjee.
ALSO READ: West Bengal Exit Polls: How Accurate Were They In Predicting Mamata Vs BJP 2021 Contest
West Bengal Election 2016: TMC vs Congress-Left Alliance Era
Now, going back to the West Bengal Legislative Assembly election, 2016, the political picture looked very different.
- At that time, Bengal politics was still largely TMC vs Congress-Left alliance contest. The Mamata Banerjee led party, secured a landslide victory, winning 211 out of 294 seats. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), contesting 291 seats, won 3 seats.
- The Congress–Left Front alliance emerged as the main challenger: Congress won around 44 seats. Left Front secured approximately 32 seats.
The 2016 contest was defined by the Congress-Left alliance's inability to break the TMC's momentum. However, the election proved a turning point for the BJP; though it secured only three seats, the party established a far stronger presence in West Bengal than in previous years.
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