The Saffron Surge: How BJP Doubled Its MLA Strength Over The Decade

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), since 2014, has solidified its dominant control over India's political landscape under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Recently, the BJP achieved a historic milestone with its first-ever victory in the West Bengal Assembly elections, significantly increasing its legislative footprint in the state. This expansion is part of a broader trend, with data showing that the party has more than doubled its total MLA strength, from 773 to 1807, over the past decade.

The total number of BJP MLAs in September 2013 was 773, and in May 2026, it rose to 1807.

BJP's Start From Scratch

In 2013, BJP had zero MLA in nine states, including Kerala, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Puducherry, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura and West Bengal. Now BJP has presence in every state of India. In a historic breakthrough in Kerala, BJP this time won more than one seat by emerging victorious in three constituencies.

BJP Conquers Bengal

The most dramatic rise of BJP has been seen in West Bengal, which had been under the rule of Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress since the past 15 years.

In the recently-concluded elections, BJP broke TMC's hold on the state and is now set to form a government in West Bengal for the first time in history.

The BJP won 207 seats in the 294-member assembly, surpassing the 148-seat majority mark.

Notably, in 2013, BJP had zero MLAs in West Bengal.

Yogi's Surge In UP

The political landscape of Uttar Pradesh has also seen a dramatic change from 2013 to 2026. From 2002 to 2017, the state juggled between the rule of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Samajwadi Party (SP).

It was in 2017, that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) made a comeback under the leadership of Yogi Adityanath, winning 312 seats in the state on its own, and with allies, the total was 325.

Notably, BJP only had 47 MLAs in Uttar Pradesh in 2013. The number presently stands at 257.

BJP Establishes Stronghold On Assam

The BJP achieved a major breakthrough in Assam in the 2016 state Assembly elections, following which it established its first government in the state under the leadership of Sarbananda Sonowal. Notably, there were just five BJP MLAs in Assam in 2013, the number that has now risen to 82 under the leadership of Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Growth In Jammu And Kashmir

The Bharatiya Janata Party  has experienced a steady, significant rise in its legislative strength in Jammu and Kashmir, transitioning from a marginal player in the Jammu region to becoming the largest opposition party in the Union Territory. As of September 2013, Jammu and Kashmir had only 11 BJP MLAs. Now the number stands at 29.

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