Amit Shah says BJP to win 110+ seats in Phase 1, cites higher turnout as sign of change in West Bengal

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is expected to win over 110 seats in the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections, expressing confidence in the party’s performance as polling progresses in the state.

Addressing a press conference in Kolkata, Shah said, “Yesterday, in the first phase of voting for the 2026 Bengal Assembly elections, breaking all records, the people of Bengal voted with unprecedented enthusiasm and zeal for change in Bengal. The voter turnout is encouraging for those across the country who believe in democracy.”

He added that polling in the first phase was largely peaceful and described the higher voter turnout as a positive sign for the BJP. “By and large, elections concluded peacefully. The rise in voter turnout is an indication of BJP government coming to power,” Shah said.


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Extending gratitude to voters, he said, “I want to congratulate and thank all the voters of Bengal who cast their votes in the first phase. You have begun the journey from fear to trust so successfully.”

Shah also expressed optimism about the next phase of polling, saying, “I am confident that in the second phase, there will be more enthusiasm. Now, it is also the responsibility of the voters at the second phase to move forward in this era of change... After the 5th, ‘Anga, Banga and Kalinga’, all three places will be ruled by the BJP and lotus. And I believe that this is a good sign for our entire East India...”

Adding further, Shah said, “In the 2016 elections, 1,278 people were injured. In the 2021 elections, 1,681 people were injured. In the 2023 panchayat elections, 664 people were injured. And in the 2024 general elections, 761 people were injured. In comparison to that, yesterday, less than 30 people were injured. This shows that by and large, the elections were held in a peaceful manner. There is not a single death toll. The fact that this election has been held in such a way is a sign of a change in the government of the BJP.”

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Elections in West Bengal are being closely watched, with multiple parties contesting for control in one of India’s most politically significant states.