Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked the BJP’s emphatic victory in West Bengal by invoking the symbolic journey of the Ganga — from its origin in Uttarakhand to its confluence at Ganga Sagar — to underline the party’s growing political footprint across northern and eastern India. Addressing party supporters at the BJP headquarters in Delhi, he declared that the BJP-led NDA now governs every major state along the river’s course, describing it as a historic moment for the party.

Switching briefly to Bengali, Modi told cheering workers that “poriborton” — change — had arrived in the state. He portrayed the result as the beginning of a new political era in Bengal, a state closely associated with Syama Prasad Mookerjee, founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh.

The Prime Minister emphasized that his government’s approach in Bengal would center on transformation rather than retribution. He outlined priorities including women’s safety, job creation for youth, and curbing migration driven by economic distress. He also pledged swift action against illegal infiltration and announced that the Ayushman Bharat health scheme would be cleared in the new state Cabinet’s first meeting.

Women’s issues featured prominently in his remarks. Referring to incidents that had triggered public outrage during the campaign, he said female voters had sent a strong message through the ballot. He also criticized opposition parties for resisting the Women’s Reservation Bill in Parliament, claiming that women across the country had responded politically to that stance.

Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee rejected the outcome, alleging electoral malpractice and terming the result morally flawed. She maintained that her party would regroup and return stronger.

Beyond Bengal, the BJP also retained power in Assam for a third straight term, reinforcing the party’s position in the Northeast. The results mark a significant expansion of the BJP’s influence in a region where it had struggled for decades to establish a foothold.