As counting for the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections progresses on May 4, early trends from the Election Commission of India (ECI) signal a potential historic shift in the state’s political landscape.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has surged past the halfway mark of 148, currently leading in 167 seats, as the party seeks to form its first-ever government in West Bengal.
The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) is currently trailing with leads in 81 to 82 seats, a significant decrease from its previous majority, as leaders from the party urge caution and wait for further rounds of counting.
In the high-profile contest for Bhabanipur, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has regained her lead after a see-saw battle with BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari, currently holding a margin of over 8,000 votes.
While Suvendu Adhikari trails in Bhabanipur, he maintains a lead in his other contested seat of Nandigram, underscoring the fragmented nature of the early voting data.
Other parties, including the CPI(M) and BGPM, are holding slim leads in just one seat each, while the Congress has yet to establish a lead in any constituency according to the noon updates.
This election, which follows a record voter turnout, is being closely monitored as the BJP makes deep inroads into traditional TMC strongholds, particularly in the Presidency and North Bengal regions.
Final results are expected by late evening as several rounds of counting remain for the majority of the 294 assembly seats.