Clashes broke out between rival political supporters in the state capital Kolkata after results were announced on Monday, with authorities confirming fatalities on both sides amid escalating tensions.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP secured a sweeping win in the eastern state, capturing 206 of 294 assembly seats and marking its first-ever government in West Bengal, a region of more than 100 million people.

The outcome ends over a decade of rule by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, leader of the All India Trinamool Congress, who has rejected the election results after also losing her own seat.

Party officials reported casualties among their workers, with the BJP stating that two of its members were killed, while the TMC said two of its supporters were beaten to death in separate incidents.

“Two of our workers were killed after results of the elections were announced on Monday,” BJP state leader Samik Bharracharya said, adding that the party remained committed to peace.

The TMC, in a statement, condemned what it described as the “brutal murder” of its grassroots workers, with spokesperson Narendranath Chakraborty alleging that party offices were attacked in multiple areas.

A senior police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed four deaths linked to the clashes and said one police officer was shot in the leg during the unrest.

Political analysts have described the BJP’s victory as one of its most significant expansions since Modi came to power in 2014, extending its influence beyond its traditional strongholds in northern and central India.

The Election Commission said the BJP had won at least 124 seats in the 294-member state assembly and was leading in 83 others, placing it on course to form the government. The TMC, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, had held power in the eastern state since 2011 and had been one of the BJP’s most resilient regional opponents.

The outcome represents a major expansion for the BJP into a politically influential state where it has historically struggled to gain a foothold.

Addressing party supporters in New Delhi, Modi said the result marked “a new chapter” for West Bengal, pointing to what he described as the party’s growing appeal across regions.Opposition parties, however, criticized the conduct of the election, alleging irregularities after millions of voters were removed from electoral rolls.

The Election Commission has not publicly detailed the basis for the removals in the data provided.Banerjee’s defeat is expected to weaken her position within India’s fragmented opposition, where she had emerged as a key figure attempting to unify regional parties against the BJP.

Her loss underscores the broader challenges faced by opposition groups in mounting a coordinated national challenge to Modi’s party.The West Bengal result comes amid a broader cycle of state elections across India. Governments were also unseated in two other states, while the BJP retained power in Assam for a third consecutive term.

In Tamil Nadu, actor-turned-politician Joseph Vijay led his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam party to victory over the incumbent DMK government, while in Kerala, the Congress-led opposition defeated the ruling communist administration.

The BJP’s gains in West Bengal are likely to bolster Modi’s political standing midway through his third term, particularly after the 2024 national election forced the party to rely on regional allies to form a government.

Analysts say the expansion into new regional strongholds could strengthen the party’s position ahead of the next general election scheduled for 2029.India, with more than 1.4 billion people, conducts elections across its 28 states and eight federal territories in staggered cycles, making state-level outcomes a critical indicator of national political momentum.