Counting of votes is underway for the high-stakes elections in West Bengal which is seen as a crucial test for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her party Trinamool Congress's bid for a fourth consecutive term, amid a stiff challenge mounted by the BJP. The CPI(M)-led Left Front and the Congress are also hoping to improve their tally after successive electoral setbacks.
Exit polls present a sharply divided picture, with some projecting a BJP edge while others forecast a comfortable return for the All India Trinamool Congress, underlining an uncertain and closely fought contest.
Political observers say the results will also be read as a barometer of the BJP's ability to expand its footprint in eastern India, while a strong showing by the TMC would reinforce its dominance in the state.
No rallies celebrating the victory of candidates will be allowed anywhere in West Bengal on Monday, a senior official of the Chief Electoral Officer's (CEO) office said.
The official also said the poll panel is looking into complaints that agents of different parties were unable to reach counting centres.
"No rallies celebrating wins of candidates following the announcement of results will be allowed anywhere in the state today," special observer Subrata Gupta told reporters.
"We are looking into the issue of agents unable to reach their centres. It will be resolved soon," he said.
Early Election Commission data showed the BJP leading in Jhargram, where candidate Lakshmi Kanta Sau secured 5,156 votes, ahead of TMC’s Mongal Saren, who polled 4,180 votes, a margin of 976.
According to television trends, BJP’s Agnimitra Paul was leading in Asansol Dakshin, while the party’s Suri candidate Jagannath Chattopadhyay was also ahead of his TMC rival.
TMC’s Snehasish Chakraborty, a minister in the Mamata Banerjee government, was leading in Jangipara constituency in Hooghly district.
Early trends from multiple television channels indicated a narrow edge for the opposition BJP over the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC).
TV9 Bangla showed the TMC leading in around 101 seats and the BJP in 105, while Zee 24 Ghanta put the TMC at 110 and the BJP at 100.
Republic Bangla gave the BJP a wider lead at 70 seats against the TMC’s 53, while ABP Ananda showed a closer contest with the BJP at 67 and the TMC at 58.
India Today projected the TMC ahead in 95 seats and the BJP in 102, while Anandabazar.com reported the BJP leading in 62 seats and the TMC in 60.
Counting for the state’s 293 Assembly constituencies began at 8 am, with postal ballots taken up first in line with Election Commission norms. Clearer trends are expected to emerge as counting gathers pace through the day.
Early trends from television channels indicated that BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari was leading in the high-profile Bhabanipur Assembly constituency as counting of votes was underway on Monday.
The Election Commission is yet to release any figures. Officials said counting of postal ballots is currently underway, with EVM counting to follow.
According to initial trends aired by India Today and Republic Bangla, Adhikari was ahead of his nearest rival Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee from the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in the constituency, which has been a prestige battleground in the state election.
The Bhabanipur seat has traditionally been a stronghold of the TMC and is closely associated with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Trends are expected to fluctuate as more rounds of counting are completed.
According to the trends from the TV channels, Adhikari was also leading in the Nandigram seat.
Initial trends from TV channels indicated that Mausam Noor, the Congress candidate from Malatipur in West Bengal's Malda district, was leading, with the grand old party ahead in two assembly constituencies across the state.
Early trends, reported by the TV channels, said the Congress was also having an edge in the Mothabari seat of the same district, which witnessed unprecedented scenes of judicial officer gherao over the deletion of names in the SIR exercise in April this year.
According to those reports, the BJP was leading in six of the assembly seats in Malda district, while the TMC had an edge in four of the segments.
Malda is among the districts which experienced some of the highest deletions during the SIR exercise.
The Election Commission is yet to come out with official figures.
Counting for the high-stakes polls in Bengal is expected to continue throughout the day, with clearer trends likely to emerge by afternoon.
Aam Janata Unnayan Party founder Humyaun Kabir on Monday complained about the lack of seating arrangements for counting agents of political parties at centres where counting of votes at West Bengal's Baharampur is underway.
"There is a lack of security arrangements for counting agents at the centres. I wish the EC makes proper arrangements at the counting centres across the state," he told PTI in Murshidabad district.
The counting is being held for 293 of 294 assembly segments in 77 centres across 23 districts of the state under a multi-layered security cordon, deciding the fate of 2,926 candidates.
West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya said he was confident of a landslide victory, as counting of votes for the assembly elections began on Monday morning.
"People of the state have already rejected the Trinamool Congress government and in a few hours, the overwhelming majority of the seats will confirm that in the fight between Mamata Banerjee and the people, people have rejected Mamata Banerjee," Bhattacharya said outside a counting centre in Kolkata.
Early trends from multiple television networks on Monday indicated the opposition BJP edging ahead as counting of votes for the West Bengal Assembly elections got underway across centres in the state.
The Election Commission is yet to come out with any official figures. Counting is expected to continue through the day, with clearer trends likely to emerge by afternoon.
According to TV 9 Bangla, the TMC was leading in around 11 seats, while the BJP was ahead in 14 seats. Zee News said TMC was ahead in 18 seats and the BJP in 21. Figures from Republic Bangla indicated the TMC leading in 4 seats, while the BJP was ahead in 19 seats.
The counting of votes for the state's 293 Assembly constituencies began at 8 am, with postal ballots taken up first in keeping with Election Commission norms.
Counting of EVM votes commenced at 8 am, officials said.
Counting of votes for the high-stakes assembly elections in West Bengal began at 8 am on Monday, with the verdict set to decide whether the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC returns to power for a fourth consecutive term or the BJP scripts history by forming its first government in the state.
The counting is being held for 293 of 294 assembly segments in 77 centres across 23 districts of the state under a multi-layered security cordon, deciding the fate of 2,926 candidates.
The elections were held under the shadow of the SIR exercise, in which the names of around 91 lakh people were removed from the electoral rolls, which shrank to around 6.82 crore.
The polling was held in two phases -- on April 23 for 152 seats and on April 29 for 142 seats, recording a voter turnout of 92.47 per cent -- the highest since Independence, according to the Election Commission.
While repolling was held in 11 booths of Magrahat Paschim and four in Diamond Harbour assembly segment on May 2, the EC countermanded polls in the adjacent Falta constituency, citing "severe electoral offences and subversion of democratic process during polling in a large number of polling stations." The fresh poll in that seat will take place on May 21, and counting on May 24.
The postal ballots, through which those engaged in poll duty vote, are being counted first, followed by the EVMs. Several rounds of counting will be held in every seat, with early trends expected shortly.
Central forces’ armoured vehicles were seen patrolling the Malda College counting centre premises as security remains on high alert ahead of vote counting. Personnel have been deployed since early morning to ensure order, with counting of votes set to begin shortly.
#WATCH | West Bengal Elections 2026 | Central forces' armoured vehicles patrolling the Malda College counting centre premises. Central forces have been on alert since morning. Counting of votes will begin shortly. pic.twitter.com/YkBm57oO4y
— ANI (@ANI) May 4, 2026
VIDEO | West Bengal Poll Results 2026: TMC and BJP candidates arrive at counting center amid tight security in Siliguri; TMC candidate Gautam Deb says, “TMC will retain power.”#WestBengalPollResults2026 #Results2026WithPTI #AssemblyElectionResults2026
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 4, 2026
(Full video available on… pic.twitter.com/hwHAWCFJzs
BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya on Monday expressed confidence that the party is on course to form the government, asserting that the election reflects the will of the people.He described the contest as “Janata vs Mamata,” calling it a rejection of the ruling TMC.
Bhattacharya said the BJP’s early expectations remain unchanged and claimed that public sentiment is firmly against the incumbent government.
VIDEO | West Bengal Poll Results 2026: BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya (@SamikBJP) says, “What we said on the first day remains our expectation even now. In fact, it’s not our expectation, it’s the people’s. This election has been fought by the people against the TMC. This… pic.twitter.com/btjTF5NzD8
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 4, 2026
VIDEO | West Bengal Poll Results 2026: Party agents arrive at Nandigram counting centre ahead of vote counting.#WestBengalPollResults2026 #Results2026WithPTI #AssemblyElectionResults2026
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 4, 2026
(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/J1EEuFaWxx
Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal on Monday said that all arrangements for the election process are fully in place.
He said that 458 halls have been readied and necessary infrastructure has been set up. Agarwal added that micro-observers have been deployed wherever required to ensure smooth and transparent proceedings.
VIDEO | West Bengal Poll Results 2026: Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal says, “All preparations are in place here. All the halls are ready, there are 458 halls, and everything is set. Micro-observers have also been arranged wherever required.”#WestBengalPollResults2026… pic.twitter.com/EHh9JQ61b1
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 4, 2026
Exit polls in West Bengal have thrown up sharply divergent projections, reflecting an intensely contested election. Some surveys, including Matrize, indicate an edge for the Bharatiya Janata Party, projecting 146–161 seats — around or above the majority mark of 148 in the 294-member Assembly — while placing the ruling All India Trinamool Congress at 125–140 seats. However, other pollsters suggest a contrasting outcome.
People’s Pulse projected 177–187 seats for the TMC and 95–110 for the BJP, with 0–1 for the Left Front and 1–3 for the Congress. Janmat forecast 195–205 seats for the TMC, 80–90 for the BJP alliance and 1–3 for the Congress.
Most other pollsters, however, gave the BJP an edge. Matrize estimated 146–161 for the BJP and 125–140 for the TMC, P-Marq projected 150–175 for the BJP and 118–138 for the TMC, while Poll Diary forecast 142–171 for the BJP, 99–127 for the TMC and 3–5 for the Congress. Praja Poll projected 178–208 seats for the BJP and 85–110 for the TMC.
News18 estimated 143–163 for the BJP and 127–147 for the TMC, while Today’s Chanakya projected 192 for the BJP and 100 for the TMC, with a margin of error of 11 seats. The wide variation underscores a polarised electorate and a bipolar contest, leaving the outcome finely balanced ahead of counting.
West Bengal heads into a decisive verdict day on Monday with the outcome set to determine whether the ruling All India Trinamool Congress retains power or if the Bharatiya Janata Party secures a historic breakthrough in the state.
Counting of votes will take place across 77 centres under stringent security arrangements, covering 293 of the 294 assembly seats. Polls in the Falta constituency were countermanded due to reported electoral irregularities, with fresh voting and counting scheduled later in May. The elections, held in two phases on April 23 and 29, recorded a voter turnout of over 92 per cent — the highest in the state since Independence — reflecting heightened political engagement in a fiercely contested battle. Repolling in select booths also saw strong participation.
The campaign saw the BJP deploy top leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, targeting the TMC on issues such as corruption, law and order and infiltration. In response, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and party leaders, including Abhishek Banerjee, focused on allegations of electoral roll manipulation and projected the party’s governance record.
The run-up to counting has been marked by political tension, with the TMC alleging possible tampering of EVMs — claims rejected by the Election Commission, which has assured robust safeguards, including multi-layered security and round-the-clock surveillance of strongrooms. With high-profile contests, including the Bhabanipur seat, and multiple parties in the fray, the results are expected to reshape the state’s political landscape and carry wider national significance.
West Bengal awaits a high-stakes verdict on Monday, with counting set to decide whether the All India Trinamool Congress retains power or the Bharatiya Janata Party scripts a historic first victory in the state. Exit polls present a sharply divided picture, with some projecting a BJP edge while others forecast a comfortable return for the All India Trinamool Congress, underlining an uncertain and closely fought contest.
The counting of votes will begin at 8am as votes from 293 constituencies will be counted across 77 centres under a tight security grid, following record turnout of over 92% — the highest since Independence and comes after a contentious SIR exercise where over 90 lakh voters were removed. The fiercely fought campaign, marked by sharp exchanges over identity, governance and alleged electoral irregularities, has kept the political climate charged even after polling ended.
