• Indian Prime Minister Modi’s Hindu-nationalist BJP party won a two-thirds majority in the West Bengal elections, ousting incumbent Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
  • Banerjee refused to resign, claiming the BJP ‘stole’ the victory, and announced possible legal action.
  • The victory strengthens Modi’s position midway through his third term, despite the energy crisis caused by the Iran war.
  • The elections were overshadowed by controversy over the removal of millions of names from voter lists.
  • The defeat weakens Banerjee as a potential national challenger to Modi.

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