Four people have been killed in political clashes following the election victory of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu-nationalist party in the state of West Bengal, police and party officials said on Wednesday.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won a decisive victory in the state elections, securing 206 of 294 assembly seats, marking its first win in West Bengal, a region with a population of over 100 million people. The result was announced on Monday.
West Bengal had been governed since 2011 by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, a strong critic of Modi and leader of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC). She also lost her seat in the election and has rejected the outcome.
Police said violence broke out in the state capital Kolkata after results were declared, as clashes erupted between rival party supporters.
Analysts say the BJP’s victory is one of its most significant political gains since Modi came to power in 2014, expanding its influence beyond northern India.
The BJP said two of its workers were killed in the violence. “Two of our workers were killed after results of the elections were announced on Monday,” said BJP state leader Samik Bharracharya, adding that the party “is for peace”.
The TMC also reported the deaths of two of its supporters, stating on social media that there was a “brutal murder” of its workers.
“Our party offices were attacked in several areas of the state,” said TMC spokesperson Narendranath Chakrabort, adding that the victims were grassroots political workers.
A senior police official confirmed that four people died in the clashes and said one police officer was also shot in the leg during the unrest.
