GUWAHATI: Kalita Majhi, a domestic worker with a monthly income of ₹2,500, has won the Ausgram Assembly seat in West Bengal, emerging as one of the most notable faces of this election.
Contesting on a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket, Majhi secured 1,07,692 votes, defeating her nearest rival Shyama Prasanna Lohar of the TMC by a margin of 12,535 votes. Her victory coincides with a sweeping mandate for the BJP, which has come to power in the state with a decisive majority.
Hailing from Guskara Municipality, Majhi had been working as a domestic help in multiple households before stepping into politics. Her candidature had drawn attention during the campaign for its strong grassroots connect.
This was not her first attempt at electoral politics. In the 2021 Assembly elections, Majhi had contested but lost to Trinamool Congress candidate Abhedananda Thander by 11,815 votes. The BJP’s decision to field her again reflected its confidence in her local appeal—a strategy that has paid off in this election.
Her victory forms part of a broader political shift in West Bengal, where the BJP has secured 206 seats in the 294-member Assembly, comfortably crossing the two-thirds majority mark and bringing an end to the Trinamool Congress’s 15-year rule.
The outcome carries wider political implications, marking the first time in over five decades—since 1972—that the state will be governed by the same party that holds power at the Centre.
Reacting to the results, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the “Lotus has bloomed in West Bengal,” attributing the party’s success to its organisational strength and extensive voter outreach.
