KOLKATA, May 4, 2026 : In a dramatic electoral shift, the Mamata Banerjee-led All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) is facing a stiff challenge as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) surged ahead of the majority mark in the West Bengal Assembly elections, leading in 185 seats as counting progressed.
With the halfway mark of 148 in the 294-member Assembly crossed in early trends, the BJP’s performance signals a potential political upheaval in a state where the TMC has held power since 2011. The results point towards a possible breakthrough moment for the BJP, while the ruling party attempts to regain lost ground.
Counting for 293 constituencies began at 8 am, starting with postal ballots followed by EVM votes. The Election Commission of India had earlier countermanded polling in the Falta constituency in South 24 Parganas due to serious electoral violations.
Despite the BJP’s sweeping gains across border, tribal, and industrial belts, Mamata Banerjee retained an early edge in her stronghold of Bhabanipur, leading by over 16,700 votes against BJP challenger Suvendu Adhikari after multiple rounds of counting. The contest in Bhabanipur remained volatile, reflecting the unpredictable nature of early trends.
In Nandigram, another high-profile seat, Suvendu Adhikari was leading over TMC’s Pabitra Kar, reinforcing BJP’s momentum in key battleground constituencies.
The emerging numbers suggest a deeper churn in West Bengal’s political landscape. BJP’s vote share has risen significantly to around 44.8%, while TMC’s dipped to nearly 41.7%, indicating erosion in its traditional support base. The shift appears particularly strong in constituencies where voter deletions had previously exceeded victory margins, hinting at a more structural electoral change.
Several senior TMC leaders were trailing in early rounds, raising concerns within the party. In Dinhata, minister Udayan Guha lagged behind BJP’s Ajay Ray, while in Sabang, veteran leader Manas Ranjan Bhunia faced a close contest. In urban Kolkata, BJP made inroads with leads in select seats, indicating cracks in TMC’s urban dominance.
Meanwhile, the TMC managed to hold leads in pockets like Deganga, Ballygunge, Kasba, and Entally, along with some rural strongholds. Other parties also made limited gains, with CPI(M) leading in Domkal and ISF ahead in Minakhan.
As counting continues, officials have cautioned that trends may fluctuate with more rounds, and a clearer picture will emerge later in the day. However, the current trajectory already points to a potentially historic electoral shift in the state.
