Bengal Election Results 2026: Vote Counting Begins as TMC Pushes for Fourth Consecutive Victory, BJP Seeks Historic Breakthrough

West Bengal, May 04 : Counting of votes for the fiercely contested West Bengal Assembly elections commenced at 8 am on Monday across the state, marking the beginning of a decisive political battle that could reshape Bengal’s political landscape. The outcome will determine whether Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led All India Trinamool Congress secures a fourth consecutive term or whether the Bharatiya Janata Party manages to form its maiden government in the state.

Authorities have put elaborate security arrangements in place as counting is underway for 293 of the 294 assembly constituencies at 77 counting centres spread across 23 districts. The fate of 2,926 candidates will be decided through multiple rounds of counting involving postal ballots and Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

Massive Security Deployment Across the State

The counting exercise is taking place under an unprecedented security blanket, with over 2.5 lakh personnel from the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and state police deployed to maintain law and order.

Tension had been mounting outside several strongrooms over the past few days, with workers and supporters of both the TMC and BJP staging demonstrations and keeping vigil over stored EVMs ahead of counting day.

In Kolkata, counting for 11 constituencies is being held at five major centres, including:

Netaji Indoor Stadium
Baba Saheb Ambedkar Education University
Ballygunge Government High School
Sakhawat Memorial Government Girls’ High School
St. Thomas Boys’ School
Record Voter Turnout Marks Historic Poll

The elections witnessed a remarkable voter turnout of 92.47 percent, the highest recorded in the state since Independence, according to the Election Commission of India.

Polling was conducted in two phases:

April 23 for 152 constituencies
April 29 for 142 constituencies

The elections unfolded amid controversy surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, during which nearly 91 lakh names were reportedly removed from electoral rolls, reducing the voter base to approximately 6.82 crore.

Repolling was conducted in select booths of Magrahat Paschim and Diamond Harbour on May 2. Meanwhile, polling in the Falta constituency was countermanded by the Election Commission over allegations of widespread electoral malpractice and disruption of democratic procedures. Fresh voting there is scheduled for May 21, with counting on May 24.

TMC and BJP Lock Horns in Prestige Battle

The election campaign evolved into a high-voltage showdown between the ruling TMC and the BJP, with both parties aggressively targeting each other over governance and identity politics.

Senior BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, campaigned extensively across the state. The BJP focused its campaign on allegations of corruption, law and order concerns, infiltration, unemployment and women’s safety.

On the other hand, the TMC leadership led by Mamata Banerjee and party national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee highlighted Bengali identity and accused the BJP of harassing voters during the electoral roll revision exercise.

Opposition Alliance Attempts Revival

Apart from the TMC-BJP contest, the elections also witnessed attempts by the Left Front and Congress alliance to regain political relevance in the state after suffering a crushing defeat in the 2021 Assembly polls.

The CPI(M)-led Left Front contested 246 seats and extended support to smaller allies, including CPIM(L) Liberation, ISF, SDPI and several independent Left-backed candidates.

The Congress fielded candidates in 292 constituencies, hoping to revive its traditional support base in parts of Bengal.

Key Candidates in the Electoral Fray

Several heavyweight leaders are contesting this election, making the outcome politically significant.

Prominent TMC candidates include:

Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur
Firhad Hakim in Kolkata Port
Bratya Basu in Dum Dum
Sujit Bose in Bidhannagar
Aroop Biswas in Tollygunge

The BJP has fielded several prominent faces, including:

Dilip Ghosh in Kharagpur Sadar
Roopa Ganguly in Sonarpur Dakshin
Arjun Singh in Noapara
Swapan Dasgupta in Rashbehari

Among Left and Congress candidates drawing attention are:

Minakshi Mukherjee in Uttarpara
Nawsad Siddiqui in Bhangar
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury in Sreerampur
2021 Results Set the Context

In the previous Assembly elections held in 2021, the TMC registered a commanding victory by winning 215 seats, while the BJP emerged as the principal opposition with 77 seats. Smaller parties such as the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and ISF secured one seat each.

Political observers believe the 2026 results could either consolidate Mamata Banerjee’s dominance in Bengal politics or mark a historic shift in the state’s electoral dynamics.