West Bengal: The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen) has drawn a blank in the West Bengal Assembly elections, with all its candidates losing their contests and forfeiting deposits, according to results announced on Monday, May 4.
The party, making its electoral debut in the state, fielded candidates in 11 constituencies across districts with significant Muslim populations, including Murshidabad, Malda, Birbhum, North 24 Parganas, Paschim Bardhaman, and Uttar Dinajpur.
Reacting to the outcome, AIMIM national spokesperson Adil Hussain said the party would conduct a detailed review of its performance. “We will analyse the performance of our candidates and the party,” he said.
Initially, AIMIM had entered into a pre-poll alliance with the Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP), led by Humayun Kabir. However, the alliance was later called off after a sting operation in which Kabir was allegedly heard discussing plans that suggested attempts to split Muslim votes.
In the previous Assembly elections as well, AIMIM had contested six seats in the state but failed to win any, with all candidates losing their deposits.
The election witnessed a major political upset, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (Bharatiya Janata Party) sweeping the West Bengal Assembly polls with a commanding two-thirds majority, winning 206 seats and ending the 15-year rule of the Trinamool Congress.
The result was further marked by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee losing the high-profile Bhabanipur seat to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari. Driven by a strong campaign led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and strategist Amit Shah, the BJP’s victory reflects a significant political shift across regions, communities, and voter bases, marking its first-ever government formation in the state.
The verdict signals a deeper realignment in West Bengal politics, with the Trinamool Congress suffering heavy losses, including defeats of several senior leaders and a noticeable decline in vote share.
While Mamata Banerjee and opposition leaders have alleged electoral irregularities, the BJP now faces the challenge of governing a politically divided state and meeting high public expectations.
For the Trinamool Congress, the outcome marks a transition from long-standing dominance to opposition, as West Bengal moves into a more competitive and bipolar political phase.