Voting for the West Bengal Assembly election was held in two phases on April 23 and April 29

TDS Desk:

Vote counting is underway across 293 constituencies in West Bengal, as part of the 2026 Assembly elections being held in five key Indian states—West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry.

With 823 seats at stake nationwide, the elections are expected to significantly reshape India’s political landscape.

BJP poised for power in West Bengal

West Bengal remains the marquee contest, where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) appears set to end Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s decade-long rule.

Early trends indicate the BJP-led alliance has crossed the majority mark and is heading towards forming the government, marking a potential historic shift in the state’s politics.

The contest, marked by intense campaigning, sharp rhetoric and complex electoral dynamics, had already drawn national attention, with most exit polls projecting an edge for the BJP.

Asansol Dakshin update

In the Asansol Dakshin constituency, BJP candidate and incumbent MLA Agnimitra Paul is leading with 33,054 votes after four rounds of counting. TMC candidate Tapas Banerjee is trailing with 17,635 votes.

Shilpi Chakraborty is contesting as the CPI(M) candidate, while Souvik Mukherjee is representing the Congress. A total of eight candidates are in the race from the constituency.

Tamil Nadu sees new political twist

In Tamil Nadu, the DMK-Congress alliance led by M K Stalin is seeking to retain power. However, actor-turned-politician Vijay and his party have emerged as a major factor, showing strong early trends that could disrupt traditional political equations.

Other states in focus

Kerala presents a crucial test for Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, with the Congress-led opposition aiming to return to power after the Left’s consecutive victory in the last election.

In Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and the BJP-led alliance are expected to retain power, though the margin remains under scrutiny.

In Puducherry, the NDA government led by N Rangasamy is seeking another term in a competitive multi-cornered contest.

High-stakes day

Alongside these Assembly elections, counting is also underway for several bypolls across states.

As results continue to emerge, attention remains on whether early trends will hold or produce unexpected outcomes.