Early trends are coming in as the battle for Bengal heats up. The Trinamool Congress, led by Mamata Banerjee, is aiming for a historic fourth consecutive term — but faces a stronger-than-ever Bharatiya Janata Party. At the center of this high-stakes contest is Suvendu Adhikari, once a close aide of Mamata Banerjee and now the face of the BJP’s challenge in the state. This election also marks the first major test after the controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls, which saw a record number of deletions. Other key players include the Congress-Left alliance, along with a new political entrant led by suspended TMC MLA Humayun Kabir, adding another layer of complexity to Bengal’s political landscape. Bengal voted in two phases on April 23 and 29, with repolling in select constituencies including Falta.