The Election Commission of India released partial results, showing Bharatiya Janata Party ahead in at least 190 seats in the 294-member West Bengal state legislature. Final results are expected Monday evening.
The outcome marks a significant breakthrough for Modi’s party, which had tried for years to dislodge the All India Trinamool Congress government led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The BJP has never governed West Bengal, a politically influential state, where Banerjee — one of Modi’s most prominent critics — has held power since 2011.
