'Cut money, tolabaji and para dadas led to Mamata's downfall'

Bhavika JainTIMESOFINDIA.COM
May 5, 2026 | 19:22 IST

Political analyst Suvrokamal Dutta explains why Bengal’s verdict was both a rejection of the TMC and an endorsement of the BJP, and what it could mean for Mamata Banerjee’s party and the wider opposition alliance

The BJP’s sweeping victory in West Bengal has redrawn one of India’s most important political maps. After 15 years of Mamata Banerjee’s dominance, the result marks not just a change of government, but a decisive rupture in a state where the Trinamool Congress had long appeared electorally resilient.

It is also a result with consequences beyond Bengal. The verdict strengthens the BJP’s position in eastern India, weakens one of the most important regional pillars of the INDIA bloc, and raises difficult questions about whether the TMC can hold together after losing power.
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