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Published : 06 May 2026, 03:05 PM
Several Indian media outlets have reported that four people have died in post-election violence in West Bengal since the results of the state assembly elections were announced.
Among them, the BJP alleged that Trinamool supporters killed two party activists in Howrah’s Udaipur and Rajarhat New Town.
On the other hand, Mamata Banerjee's party also says that BJP workers killed two members of their party in Nanoor in Birbhum and Beleghata in Kolkata.
Clashes broke out between activists and supporters of the two parties in several places, including Birbhum, South 24 Parganas, Howrah, Nadia, Bankura. Trinamool offices were vandalised in several places.
Anandabazar reported receiving complaints of vandalism and arson at several Trinamool party offices in the Asansol industrial area on Tuesday night. The fire in the office later spread to a cake shop.
In addition, there have been allegations of vandalism at several Trinamool party offices in Rupnarayanpur Toll Plaza, Kumarpur, Kulti, Raniganj, Jamuria, Barabani and Barnapura.
Ghasphul leaders and activists are also alleging that some offices have been painted saffron.
The BJP, however, has not claimed responsibility for these incidents.
Since the day the election results were announced, the newly elected BJP members of the legislative assembly (MLAs) have been claiming that none of their workers were involved in the violence and vandalism.
They say that, in some places, “miscreants” are using the BJP's name to “stir up unrest”.
India's Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has ordered strict action to prevent violence.
He has asked for law enforcers to arrest the suspects immediately if any incident of vandalism or violence is seen anywhere.
He has also instructed the state chief secretary, the state director general of police, the Kolkata police commissioner and the director general of the central armed police forces to be alert.
He has also asked the district authorities and senior police officers to be ready.
Meanwhile, Home Minister Amit Shah has been sent to West Bengal by the BJP to decide on the party’s chief minister in the state.
He has been made an observer in the process of choosing the BJP's “parliamentary party leader” in the assembly.
Mohan Charan Majhi, the chief minister of the neighbouring state of Odisha, has been given the responsibility of assistant observer alongside him.
Usually, after elections in any state, the BJP leadership sends central observers to that state during the selection of the parliamentary party leader.
They hold a meeting with the party's newly elected MLAs. The party leader is decided in that meeting. That will also decide who becomes the new chief minister.
Although it is customary to send central leaders as observers, it is quite rare for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's “second-in-command” Shah to be given such a responsibility.
According to Anandabazar, this shows that the central leadership of the BJP is placing special importance on the West Bengal elections and this victory.
The BJP has taken power in West Bengal by apparently destroying the Trinamool's stronghold in the state and the Saffron is moving to forming the government after winning 207 seats, the Indian daily says.
The date of the new government’s swearing in has not been officially announced, but there is widespread speculation that it may be on May 9.
The party's state president Samik Bhattacharya said its central leadership will decide the date of the oath-taking.
