With the BJP leading in 192 of the 293 seats in West Bengal at around 2 PM, speculation has intensified over the party's chief ministerial choice should it manage to form government in the state for the first time.
Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of Opposition and a key face of the campaign, is being seen as a strong contender. He is contesting from both Nandigram and Bhabanipur, taking direct aim at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's political strongholds.
State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya is also in the reckoning. A leader with RSS roots, he is credited with expanding the party's organisational base and has been a Rajya Sabha MP since 2024, playing a key role in consolidating support across the state.
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Former state president Dilip Ghosh, known for his strong grassroots connect, remains another prominent name in the internal discussion.
Multiple media reports said that other possible contenders include former Union minister Nisith Pramanik, MLA Agnimitra Paul, former Rajya Sabha MP Roopa Ganguly, and MLA Shankar Ghosh.
Meanwhile, counting trends continue to remain closely watched. Mamata Banerjee was initially trailing in Bhabanipur but later moved ahead by 898 votes after three rounds of counting against Suvendu Adhikari. In Nandigram, Adhikari is reportedly ahead by over 3,100 votes against TMC's Pabitra Kar.
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Elsewhere, Aam Janata Unnayan Party chief Humayun Kabir is leading by 2,890 votes over TMC's Sahina Momtaz Khan, with 19 rounds of counting still remaining.
The BJP is also showing early leads in several constituencies including Dinhata, Gosaba, Baghmundi, Bankura, Durgapur Purba, Binpur, Nayagram, Rajganj and Bhagwangola, indicating early strength across Junglemahal, north Bengal and industrial belts.
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