Most of the streets were deserted on May 4, but the BJP office in Sector V came alive and how!

“Paltano dorkar, chai BJP sarkar!” blasted the loudspeaker and scores of party supporters sang along, danced along, formed huddles and leaped together in circles on the ground that had turned saffron with abir.

Lalan Yadav, who had come from Burrabazar, fed laddu to anyone he could see. “I’ve got 200 boxes,” he smiled. Some even celebrated with jhal muri, in the limelight ever since the Prime Minister tasted the snack.

If some smeared colour on standees of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah, others shed tears of joy. “We have waited too long for this day,” said Tumpa Kayal, a friend of the 2013 Kamduni gang rape and murder victim, who had confronted the then chief minister Mamata Banerjee on women’s safety. “We don’t need doles; we need justice,” she declared, wiping tears off her cheeks.

Fish being served for lunch at the BJP party office

Some supporters took a break from dancing to sit and watch the election results on a TV in a lobby, and others retreated for lunch. They sat on orange chairs and gorged on, among other dishes, fish curry, lest anyone worry about any go-veg diktat.

While many had come from across the state, local residents were also spotted. “We aren’t party members but have come to celebrate nonetheless,” said Sourabh J. Sarkar, an IIT Kharagpur passout and entrepreneur, who lives in Uniworld City. “For five decades, Bengal blamed its failures on the misalignment of the Central and state governments. Today, that changes and the government must step up and deliver. We have high hopes!”