BJP wins West Bengal, NDA tally rises to 22 states after 2026 polls

New Delhi: During a meeting of the BJP Parliamentary Board held on September 13, 2013, Narendra Modi was declared as the party's Prime Ministerial candidate for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. At that time, the BJP—or the NDA alliance—held power in only a select few states across the country. There were several states where the Bharatiya Janata Party's grassroots presence was virtually non-existent. However, today, the Bharatiya Janata Party or the NDA alliance forms the government in 22 out of the country's 31 states. This means that in 22 states, leaders from the BJP or the NDA occupy the pinnacle of power as Chief Ministers. Currently, the Bharatiya Janata Party has its own Chief Ministers in 17 states. The BJP achieved this milestone following the year 2014, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is widely credited as the primary architect behind this success.

How 'Modi Magic' Swept Across the Nation

Under PM Modi's leadership, the BJP strengthened its political foothold in several states—regions where, previously, the party had never even imagined it could gain ground. Beyond the states of the 'Hindi Belt,' Odisha—and now West Bengal—stand out as two states where the BJP had to toil immensely to capture power. In Odisha, the BJP has indeed succeeded in securing power. Now, the BJP has effectively ousted Mamata Banerjee from the seat of power in Bengal. This is a state where, in the process of establishing its political foundation, the BJP had to endure the painful sacrifice of the lives of many of its dedicated party workers.

NDA Governments in 22 States; BJP Chief Ministers in 17

Today, the entire map of India has begun to appear saffron. From the far South to the North, and from the East to the West, the BJP's banner is flying high everywhere. The BJP and the NDA currently form the government in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Goa, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Manipur, Bihar, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, Meghalaya, Nagaland, and Puducherry. The name of West Bengal has now been added to this list.

**The Number of BJP MLAs Has Increased Two-and-a-Half Times Compared to 2013**

If we look at the statistics from before PM Modi took the oath as Prime Minister in 2014—specifically the figures for BJP MLAs across India's states as of September 2013—the total stood at 773. In contrast, as of May 4, 2026—following the vote counting in five states—this figure has crossed the 1,798 mark. The implication is that Prime Minister Narendra Modi not only paved the way for the BJP to assume power at the Centre but also facilitated the establishment of BJP governments in numerous states.

**How ​​the BJP's Assembly Seat Tally Grew Across the Country**

In Andhra Pradesh, where the BJP held just two Assembly seats in 2013, the number of seats rose to 8 in 2026.

Similarly, the tally increased from 3 to 46 in Arunachal Pradesh, from 91 to 89 in Bihar, and from 50 to 54 in Chhattisgarh.

In Delhi, the number of BJP MLAs rose from 23 to 48; in Goa, from 21 to 27; in Gujarat, from 115 to 161; and in Haryana, from 4 to 48. In Himachal Pradesh, the tally shifted from 26 to 25; in Jammu & Kashmir, from 11 to 29; in Jharkhand, from 18 to 21; and in Karnataka, from 40 to 64.

In Madhya Pradesh, the count rose from 143 to 165; in Maharashtra, from 46 to 131; in Manipur, from 0 to 36; in Meghalaya, from 0 to 2; in Mizoram, from 0 to 2; and in Nagaland, from 1 to 11.

In Odisha, the figure surged from 6 to 79; in Punjab, it dropped from 12 to 2; and in Rajasthan, the tally reached 118, up from 78.

Telangana saw a gain of 7 seats; Tripura went from 0 to 32; Uttar Pradesh rose from 47 to 257; and Uttarakhand achieved an increase from 31 to 47 seats.

Kerala now has 3 BJP MLAs, while Tamil Nadu has 2.

Furthermore, since 2013, the party's presence has expanded from 0 to 3 seats in Kerala; from 5 to 82 in Assam; from 0 to 3 in Puducherry; from 0 to 2 in Tamil Nadu; and from 0 to 199 in West Bengal. In these five states, the final vote-counting results have not yet been fully declared; consequently, there remains a possibility of further changes in these figures.

The Power of 'Modi Magic': These Statistics Bear Witness

These statistics make it abundantly clear that while serving in the central government, PM Modi simultaneously paved the way for the BJP's political expansion within the states. The party gradually accelerated its efforts to build a strong political foundation across all states—a strategy whose results are now clearly visible in the election outcomes of every state. This is precisely why, alongside its hold on the Centre, either the NDA or the BJP alone currently stands at the pinnacle of power in 22 out of the country's 31 states. Moreover, the BJP has now established its governance over 72 percent of the country's geographical area and 78 percent of its population.