Four people have been killed in post-election violence in West Bengal, India Election News

Riots have gripped the eastern giant after Modi’s Hindu-led BJP won state elections for the first time.

At least four people have been killed in political unrest after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist party won the state election in West Bengal, police and party officials said.

Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept the votes in his first victory in the vast eastern region, home to about 100 million people, he won 206 of the 294 seats, according to results announced on Tuesday.

Recommended Articles

list of 4 itemsend of series

West Bengal has been ruled by Modi’s opponent and rival, Mamata Banerjee, as chief minister since 2011.

Banerjee, leader of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), too he lost his seat in the elections and has rejected the results, accusing the federal government of rigging the election.

Police said clashes between supporters of rival parties broke out in the state capital, Kolkata, and other parts of West Bengal after the results were announced.

The BJP said two party workers were killed, while the TMC said two of its workers were beaten to death.

“Two of our workers were killed after the election results were announced on Monday,” state BJP leader Samik Bhattacharya told AFP, insisting the party stood for “peace”.

The TMC, in a statement on social media, also reported the “brutal killing” of party workers.

“Our party offices were attacked in several places in the state,” TMC spokesperson Narendranath Chakraborty told AFP. “Two of the victims were political workers.”

A senior police officer, who was not authorized to speak to the media, confirmed that four people died in the clashes and said that one police officer was shot in the leg.

The TMC also claimed that its offices were vandalized by alleged BJP workers.

Police in Kolkata said there was a law and order situation on Tuesday in parts of Topsia and Tiljala, “during which miscreants destroyed property of people, etc”.

After the election results were announced, Banerjee refused to resign as chief minister. Calling the BJP’s victory an “immoral victory,” Banerjee said “more than 100 seats were stolen by the BJP”.

According to Indian law, the state governor can order Banerjee to resign or wait for her term to expire, after which the newly elected politicians will be sworn in and the process of forming a new government will begin.

Banerjee’s term is due to end on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India (ECI), which has refused allegations of misconductt, ordered the West Bengal authorities to impose “zero tolerance” on any post-election violence.

“The ECI asked the government authorities and security agencies to take necessary steps to prevent threats, retaliation or election-related disputes,” an All India Radio reporter said.

Analysts say the BJP’s victory in the Bengali-majority state is one of the most important since Modi was elected prime minister in 2014, extending his rule beyond the Hindi-speaking regions of north and central India.