The BJP experienced a mixed bag of results in the West Bengal Assembly elections, with several heavyweight candidates securing victories while others faced defeat. Key wins included Dilip Ghosh, Suvendu Adhikari, and others, but some prominent faces failed to win.
Senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari has accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of resorting to 'dramabazi' in front of a counting centre. Adhikari claims Banerjee's actions are futile and will not alter the election outcome.
Polling for West Bengal's remaining 142 assembly seats will be held in the second phase on Wednesday, April 29, 2026.
'If you read the TVK manifesto, it is doles and much more doles. But the state has been habituated to this.' 'In no way is he distinct or different from the DMK regime.'
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has warned against any attempts to tamper with the counting process, following a visit to an EVM strong room in Bhabanipur where she alleged possible malpractice.
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee has alleged large-scale irregularities in the West Bengal assembly polls, questioning the counting process and the role of election officials and security forces. He claimed EVMs could be replaced, influencing the election outcome.
The Election Commission reports a significant increase in seizures of inducements during recent assembly elections, with Tamil Nadu leading in cash seizures and West Bengal in liquor and drugs.
The Bharatiya Janata Party has surged past the halfway mark in the West Bengal assembly elections, leading in 185 seats against the Trinamool Congress's 91, signalling a potential political shift in the state. Early trends suggest a geographically split mandate, with the BJP gaining in border, tribal, and industrial regions, while the TMC holds ground in parts of Kolkata and select rural strongholds.
In Puducherry, where constituencies have fewer than 30,000 electors on average, it is usual for N Rangaswamy to call out people he knows by name during his roadside election meetings.
'Even if they align with the TVK now, I don't think the AIADMK leadership will completely surrender to the dominance of Vijay.'
Suvendu Adhikari and Dilip Ghosh are the top contenders for West Bengal Chief Minister.
BJP's Panihati candidate Ratna Debnath faced protests by TMC workers when she visited a booth in the assembly constituency in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district where polling was underway. She also accused the ruling party activists of preventing her from leaving the booth premises, following an altercation with them over an allegation of influencing voters.
Unlike films that end with the underdog becoming winner and being sworn in at a public ceremony, Vijay's trial by fire is only about to begin, predicts Saisuresh Sivaswamy.
Actor-politician Vijay's newly formed party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), has made a surprising and strong showing in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, leading in nearly 100 constituencies and leaving established Dravidian parties like DMK and AIADMK trailing.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led central government, accusing it of attempting to suppress voting rights and polarise the electorate ahead of the assembly elections.
The Election Commission has ordered a repoll in all 285 polling booths of the Falta assembly constituency in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district on May 21, following reports of severe electoral offences and subversion of the democratic process during the second phase of the assembly elections.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has accused the BJP of attempting to destabilise the state and create an atmosphere of fear ahead of upcoming elections, following twin blasts in Amritsar and Jalandhar.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee will hold a virtual meeting with counting agents to ensure there are no lapses during the vote counting process.
Incidents of violence and vandalism were reported from parts of West Bengal during the early hours of voting in the second phase of the assembly elections on Wednesday, police said. The incidents were reported from multiple locations, including Chapra, Shantipur, Nimtala and Bhangar, they said.
Trinamool Congress offices across West Bengal were allegedly defaced and damaged following the BJP's victory in the Assembly polls, with the TMC alleging BJP involvement, which the BJP denies.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has urged TMC candidates and agents to remain vigilant at counting centres, alleging a 'game plan' by the BJP and the Election Commission to show the BJP taking an early lead.
The Bhabanipur assembly segment is Banerjee's political bastion, where she is locked in a prestige battle against Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari in what is being seen as a symbolic rematch of Nandigram, where he had defeated her in the 2021 assembly polls.
Former CPI(M) leader G Sudhakaran, now an Independent MLA backed by the UDF, has criticised Left leaders for targeting him over his late brother Bhuvaneswaran, considered a party martyr. Sudhakaran claims the CPI(M) lost votes by politicising Bhuvaneswaran's memory during the election campaign.
Following a significant defeat to the BJP, Trinamool Congress leaders are openly criticising the party leadership, citing mismanagement and lack of support as key factors in the election outcome.
Banerjee reached the venue in the evening, ignoring torrential rains in Kolkata and was still seated inside till reports last received.
Actor Vijay's political party, TVK, has significantly impacted the Tamil Nadu political landscape in its debut election, challenging established political norms and achieving notable success.
The delimitation of constituencies, which aimed to reduce the influence of minority candidates, is a significant factor in the NDA's strong performance in the Assam elections, where they secured a record 102 seats. The 2023 delimitation exercise redrew constituencies, reserving some Muslim-majority seats for indigenous communities, which increased the BJP and its allies' seat count.
TVK chief Vijay has arrived at the Lok Bhavan to meet Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, a day after he staked claim to form the government with the support of the Congress party.
The delimitation in Assam has quietly changed the political scene, raising questions about whether new constituency boundaries helped the BJP by spreading out Muslim-majority voters.
The AINRC-led NDA has won the Puducherry Assembly elections and is set to form the government. Chief Minister N Rangasamy won both seats he contested.
'They will have to adjust themselves to the new reality. Because if they don't understand this changed political perception, their future will be difficult.'
The Election Commission has ordered repolling in 15 polling stations across two Assembly constituencies in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district following reports of electoral malpractices.
West Bengal is on edge as it awaits the results of its recent election, with the TMC and BJP vying for control. The counting process will be conducted under tight security, with the Election Commission implementing stringent measures to ensure a fair and transparent process.
The BJP must respect Bengal's pluralistic ethos and with this historic mandate give the state the constructive change it truly deserves, expects Kolkata native Payal Singh Mohanka.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for allegedly refusing to accept the electoral mandate, claiming democracy is being 'held at gunpoint' in the state.
The Calcutta High Court dismissed a plea challenging the Election Commission's directive to deploy central government and PSU employees for vote counting in the West Bengal Assembly elections.
The newly elected BJP-led government in West Bengal will take oath on May 9, coinciding with Rabindranath Tagore's birth anniversary, according to West Bengal BJP President Samik Bhattacharya. He also addressed post-election incidents and urged party workers to celebrate responsibly.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accused the TMC of opposing the SIR exercise to protect its vote bank of infiltrators, alleging that unchecked illegal immigration under its rule in West Bengal has altered the demography of many areas.
Voting has commenced in 142 constituencies for the second and final phase of the West Bengal assembly elections, with significant security measures in place. The outcome will determine whether the TMC maintains its dominance or if the BJP can gain ground in the state.
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