US President Donald Trump today congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the BJP’s “historic and decisive” victory in West Bengal, where the party won the recently held assembly elections for the first time since Independence.

“The President congratulates Prime Minister Modi on this recent, historic and decisive election victory,” White House spokesperson Kush Desai told a news agency.

The BJP scripted history by winning 207 seats in the 294-member West Bengal assembly election, marking its maiden victory in the state. The Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress, which had dominated Bengal politics for years, was reduced to 80 seats. 

“Just last month on their phone call, President Trump expressed to Prime Minister Modi his admiration and how lucky India is to have him as its leader,” the spokesperson was quoted as saying by the news agency. 

Out of 35 ministers from the outgoing government who contested, 22 lost their seats, a staggering 63% of Mamata Banerjee’s cabinet.