The Bharatiya Janata Party has rapidly initiated the process of government formation in West Bengal and Assam after delivering dominant performances in the 2026 Assembly elections. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has been appointed as the BJP’s central observer for West Bengal, while party president and Union minister JP Nadda will oversee the leadership selection process in Assam.
The appointments came shortly after the BJP recorded sweeping victories in both states. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has been named co-observer for West Bengal, while Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini will assist the party leadership in Assam. Their responsibilities include supervising meetings of newly elected legislators and facilitating the selection of legislative party leaders ahead of government formation.
The BJP is scheduled to take oath in West Bengal on May 9 following a landmark victory that significantly reshaped the state’s political landscape. The party captured 207 seats in the 294-member Assembly, comfortably crossing the majority mark and ending the Trinamool Congress’s 15-year hold on power.
The election results reflected a dramatic political shift across Bengal. The Trinamool Congress was reduced to 80 seats, while Congress and AJUP managed only two seats each. The CPI(M), once a dominant political force in the state, secured just one seat, underscoring the scale of the BJP’s rise in the region.
One of the most high-profile contests unfolded in Bhabanipur, where senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari defeated Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in a fiercely contested battle. Adhikari secured victory by a margin of 15,105 votes after a tense counting process that initially showed Banerjee leading in the early rounds.
According to official election figures, Adhikari received 73,917 votes, while Banerjee secured 58,812 votes. Following his victory, Adhikari thanked voters for their support and described the outcome as a major moment for the constituency and the party.
The result drew strong comparisons to the 2021 Nandigram election, where Adhikari had also defeated Banerjee in a contest that altered Bengal’s political narrative. Political analysts believe the latest verdict could further strengthen the BJP’s long-term position in eastern India.
In Assam, the BJP successfully retained power by winning 82 seats in the 126-member Assembly. Congress finished with 19 seats, while regional parties BOPF and AGP secured 10 seats each. AIUDF managed two seats, reflecting the fragmented nature of the opposition in the state.
