The BJP gave a big fight in West Bengal winning 18 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats, bringing down the Trinamool Congress's tally from 34 to 22. The vote share of the BJP in the state stood at close to 40 per cent, an increase from 17 per cent in 2014. Keeping in line with the party's "Look East" policy, 40 per cent of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's campaigning was held in Bengal. BJP president Amit Shah also frequented his visits to the state.
