New Delhi, May 4 -- West Bengal has witnessed one of its most significant political shifts in modern history. For the first time in 50 years, the state will have a double-engine government.

Since 1977, Bengal had consistently voted for parties opposing whoever ruled at the Centre. That five-decade pattern has now been decisively broken.

The BJP has comfortably crossed the majority mark of 148 seats. Current counting trends show the BJP leading in more than 215 seats in the 294-member assembly.

This victory ends Mamata Banerjee's 15-year reign as West Bengal's Chief Minister. Trinamool Congress has suffered a historic and comprehensive electoral defeat.

The voter turnout reached around 93%, the highest recorded since Independence. That...