By The political transition in West Bengal formally entered its final stage on Thursday after Governor R. N. Ravi dissolved the state Assembly, bringing the tenure of the All India Trinamool Congress government to an official close. With this constitutional step, Mamata Banerjee also ceased to hold office as Chief Minister.
The development comes days after the BJP registered a decisive victory in the 2026 Assembly elections, marking a historic political shift in the state. Despite the results, Mamata Banerjee had maintained that her party had not “morally lost” the election and repeatedly alleged irregularities in the polling process, including EVM tampering and voter manipulation. However, with the expiry of the Assembly’s term and the Governor’s formal order, the transition process has now moved into the constitutional framework.
Invoking powers under Article 174(2)(b) of the Constitution, Governor Ravi issued a notification stating that the Legislative Assembly of West Bengal stood dissolved with immediate effect from May 7, 2026. Constitutional experts have pointed out that once the five-year term of a government ends, continuation in office without a fresh mandate is not legally sustainable.
The political atmosphere in Bengal has remained tense since the declaration of results. The Trinamool Congress claimed that votes were “captured” in several constituencies where its candidates had initially led during counting. On the other hand, the BJP has maintained that the verdict reflected a strong public desire for political change and a rejection of what it described as years of misgovernance and political violence.
The post-election period has also witnessed sporadic unrest in parts of the state. Security forces have been deployed in sensitive districts following incidents of violence reported after the results. Among the most shocking incidents was the killing of Chandranath Rath, considered close to senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, in Madhyamgram.
Attention is now shifting to the BJP’s next move as the party prepares to form its first government in Bengal. A meeting of newly elected BJP MLAs has been scheduled to elect the legislative party leader, who is expected to become the next Chief Minister of the state.
The dissolution of the Assembly marks the end of a significant chapter in Bengal politics. Mamata Banerjee, who dominated the state’s political landscape for over a decade, now faces perhaps her toughest political phase, while the BJP prepares to begin a new era of governance in one of India’s most politically influential states.
