## West Bengal Assembly Election & Government Formation – Summary
The All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) led by Mamata Banerjee is set to form the government in West Bengal for the third consecutive term. The AITC won 112 seats in the 294-member assembly.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured 77 seats, significantly increasing its tally from the previous election but falling short of a majority.
The Indian Secular Front (ISF) won 1 seat.
The Congress and Left Front alliance collectively won 43 seats. Other parties secured the remaining seats.
Mamata Banerjee was sworn in as Chief Minister for the third time on May 5th, 2024. She won from the Bhabanipur constituency, securing 73,532 votes, defeating BJP’s Priya Pal Chowdhury by a margin of 55,753 votes.
The election was marked by post-poll violence, particularly in several districts. Reports of clashes, arson, and alleged attacks on opposition party workers emerged. The central government sought a report from the state government regarding the violence.
A significant incident involved the death of a close aide of Suvendu Adhikari, allegedly due to post-poll violence, sparking unrest and protests. The BJP alleged that the death was a result of TMC-sponsored violence.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) received numerous complaints regarding violence and malpractices during the election process.
The state witnessed a high voter turnout, with over 79% of eligible voters exercising their franchise across eight phases of polling.
Key TMC leaders who won include Partha Chatterjee, Subrata Mukherjee, and Firhad Hakim. Prominent BJP winners include Suvendu Adhikari, who defeated Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram, and Dilip Ghosh.
The results indicate a strong consolidation of AITC’s support base in many districts, while the BJP made significant inroads in areas previously considered TMC strongholds. The Left-Congress alliance failed to make a substantial impact.
