Scan to Download
Good morning and welcome to NDTV Profit's live coverage of the West Bengal Assembly Election 2026 results.
After a high-stakes campaign and a record voter turnout of over 92%, the state now stands at a historic crossroads. Counting for 293 seats is set to begin at 8:00 AM, starting with postal ballots, as both the Trinamool Congress and the BJP look to cross the 148-seat majority mark.
The stakes could not be higher for the state's political and economic future. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is eyeing a fourth consecutive term, relying on the strength of her grassroots welfare schemes to hold off a determined challenge. Meanwhile, the BJP is pushing for its first-ever mandate in the state, banking on significant inroads into the rural South to complement its traditional strongholds in the North.
National exit polls remain divided, leaving the outcome on a knife-edge. As the first EVM rounds begin to trickle in after 8:30 AM, we will get a clearer picture of whether the "Ma-Mati-Manush" fortress has held firm or if the state has opted for a fundamental shift in leadership. The prestige battle in Bhabanipur and leads from the industrial heartlands will be the key barometers to watch in these early hours.
Stay with NDTV Profit throughout the day for real-time data, the fastest lead updates, and comprehensive analysis as the mandate for West Bengal unfolds. Please note that counting for the Falta seat is deferred following a total re-poll order, making 147 the effective halfway mark for today's active tallies.
The BJP won 33 seats and is leading in 171 others, while the TMC bagged 13 seats and is ahead in 70 other constituencies as of 6:03 p.m.
Pawan Kumar Singh of the BJP defeated Amit Gupta of the TMC by over 22,000 votes in Bhatpara.
Purnima Chakraborty of the BJP defeated West Bengal minister and TMC candidate Shashi Panja by over 14,000 votes in Shyampukur constituency of north Kolkata.
Sumitro Chatterjee of the BJP defeated Sanat Dey of the TMC by over 10,000 votes in Naihati.
The BJP won 22 seats and is leading in 181 others, while the TMC bagged nine seats and is ahead in 75 other constituencies as of 5:42 p.m.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut says hatred, communalism and SIR (Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls) defeated Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal, adding that the BJP achieved victory in the eastern state "not through the right means", news agency PTI reports.
In the tribal heartland of Jhargram, TMC candidate Mongal Saren lost to the BJP's Lakshmi Kanta Sau by over 38,000 votes, indicating a shift in the Junglemahal narrative.
The BJP won 18 seats and is leading in 185 others, while the TMC bagged seven seats and is ahead in 77 other constituencies as of 5:30 p.m.
The BJP won 15 seats and is leading in 185 others, while the TMC bagged six seats and is ahead in 81 other constituencies as of 5:24 p.m.
Senior TMC leader and state minister Siddiqullah Chowdhury lost to Saikat Panja of the BJP by a margin of over 14,000 votes from Monteswar, marking an upset in the East Burdwan belt.
The BJP won 12 seats and is leading in 188 others, while the TMC has bagged five seats and is ahead in 82 constituencies as of 5:15 p.m.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is leading in Bhabanipur seat by over 5,000 votes against the BJP's Suvendu Adhikari after 13 out of 20 rounds.
Agnimitra Paul of the BJP won by a margin of 40,839 votes from Asansol Dakshin by defeating Tapas Banerjee of the TMC.
The BJP is leading in 197 seats, while the TMC is ahead in 90 constituencies as of 3:36 p.m.
Speculation has intensified over the BJP's chief ministerial choice should it manage to form the government in West Bengal for the first time.
Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of Opposition and a key face of the campaign, is being seen as a strong contender. State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya is also in the reckoning. Former state president Dilip Ghosh, known for his strong grassroots connect, remains another prominent name in the internal discussion.
The BJP is leading in 195 seats, while the TMC is ahead in 92 constituencies as of 3:30 p.m.
Clashes have again erupted between BJP and TMC workers, this time in Cooch Behar's Dinhata city during the counting of votes across West Bengal, reports said.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is leading in Bhabanipur seat by over 7,000 votes against the BJP's Suvendu Adhikari after 12 out of 20 rounds.
"First, bullet training we'll take to Siliguri. That's the first big project we'll take from Patna to Siliguri. Second, Kolkata Metro, we will now complete it. The TMC government went all the way to Supreme Court to stop the project. Third, there are about 80 plus projects still pending in this state because the state government said no to those projects. Now we'll be able to start many of those projects," says Ashwini Vaishnaw.
Source: NDTV
"The Muslim vote in Bengal was split three ways this time. Bangladeshi immigrants or Rohingya Muslims voted for Trinamool Congress. A lot of them actually voted for Humayun Kabir's outfit. He's leading in both his seats right now," says Kanchan Gupta, senior adviser in I&B Ministry.
Source: NDTV
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee leading in Bhabanipur seat by over 9,000 votes against the BJP's Suvendu Adhikari after 11 out of 20 rounds.
The BJP is leading in 195 seats, while the TMC is ahead in 92 constituencies as of 2.12 p.m.
West Bengal minister and TMC heavyweight Moloy Ghatak leading against Krishnendu Mukherjee of the BJP in Asansol Uttar constituency in Paschim Bardhaman, news agency PTI reports.
West Bengal Assembly Speaker and senior TMC leader Biman Banerjee leading over Biswajit Paul of the BJP in Baruipur Paschim assembly constituency in South 24 Parganas district, news agency PTI reports.
Trinamool Congress deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha, Sagarika Ghose, alleges a delay in vote counting in West Bengal, news agency PTI reports.
The BJP is leading in 192 seats, while the TMC is ahead in 94 constituencies as of 2.03 p.m.
BJP candidate Rupa Ganguly is leading against the TMC's Arundhuti Maitra, popularly known as Lovely Maitra, in Sonarpur Dakshin constituency.
West Bengal minister Aroop Biswas is trailing by 624 votes in Tollyganj seat of south Kolkata.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is leading in Bhabanipur seat by over 12,000 votes against the BJP's Suvendu Adhikari after 10 out of 20 rounds.
The BJP is leading in 194 seats, while the TMC is ahead in 92 constituencies as of 1.51 p.m.
The BJP's Subrata Maitra is leading by over 5,000 votes in Baharampur against Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury of the Congress after six out of 15 rounds.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is leading in Bhabanipur seat by over 13,000 votes against the BJP's Suvendu Adhikari after nine out of 20 rounds.
The BJP's Sarbori Mukherjee is leading by over 6,000 votes in Jadavpur against Debabrata Majumdar of the TMC after five out of 26 rounds.
The BJP is leading in 192 seats, while the TMC is leading in 94 constituencies as of 1.30 p.m.
The BJP is leading in 190 seats, while the TMC is leading in 95 constituencies as of 1.27 p.m.
The BJP's Suvendu Adhikari is leading by over 7,000 votes in Nandigram against Pabitra Kar of the TMC as of 1.21 p.m. after six out of 18 rounds.
The BJP is leading in 188 seats, while the TMC is leading in 94 constituencies as of 1.18 p.m.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is leading in Bhabanipur seat by over 15,000 votes against the BJP's Suvendu Adhikari as of 1.15 p.m. after eight out of 20 rounds.
The BJP is leading in 186 seats, while the TMC is leading in 93 constituencies as of 1.09 p.m.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has put out a message to all the TMC workers and supporters, urging them not to leave the counting stations. She alleges that the Election Commission and the central forces are working alongside BJP to rig the elections. She further urged her supporters to wait until sundown, stating that most TMC votes will come in latter ballots.
জরুরি বার্তা pic.twitter.com/Uc82oihwEL
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) May 4, 2026
Trinamool Congress touches 100 mark in West Bengal as trends continue to roll in
Source: NDTV
The BJP is doing phenomenally well in West Bengal and looks set to form a government. However, its leader Suvendu Adhikary is trailing Mamata Banerjee in Bhabhanipur by 16,000 votes whereas the leader of the opposition has a slender lead in the Nandigram constituency, as per data from the Election Commission.
These are, of course, early metrics and a lot more will unfold as the day goes on. But Suvendu's performance will be worth keeping an eye on.
The BJP continue to consolidate their position in the West Bengal election and are leading in 196 seats whereas the TMC is struggling to even reach the 100 mark.
The BJP appears to be in cruise control at the moment. They are leading 194 seats compared to TMC's 96 and looks on par to dethrone Mamata Banerjee for the first time after 15 years.
Kolkata Police has prohibited all victory processions, rallies, and public celebrations on May 4, the day of counting for the West Bengal Assembly elections
Mamata Banerjee has once again clawed her way back into the race against BJP's Suvendu Adhikary in the tightly-contested Bhabanipur constituency and is now leading.
As we approach three hours of counting, BJP has the clear upper hand and is leading in key constituencies. They are leading in a total of 184 seats compared to TMC's 106, with party workers and supporters already starting the celebrations in Kolkata.
Another shift in the Bhabanipur constituency, as LoP Suvendu Adhikari is now leading TMC's Mamata Banerjee.
Leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari says BJP is confident of forming a government, beating TMC in the process.
Visuals show that BJP workers and supporters have already kickstarted their celebration, in anticipation of a historic win over TMC.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has consolidated her lead over BJP's Suvendu Adhikari and is leading by at least 2,000 votes in the Bhabanipur constituency.
Even as early trends indicate a clear majority for BJP, this could still be anyone's game, with most ballots yet to be counted. We are witnessing sharp shifts and changes with each passing minute.
As we reach two hour of counting, the tide appears to be favouring the BJP, which is leading by 165 seats compared to TMC's 113 seats.
Mamata Banerjee has reversed the situation in Bhabanipur constituency, after initally trailing BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari. Remember, these are still early trends.
In a major development in the West Bengal Assembly election in 2026, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari is leading Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the all-important Bhabanipur constituency.
Although early trends, the BJP has breached the majority mark and has touched the 150 mark, whereas TMC is leading in 104 seats.
The EC has started counting the postal ballots for the all-important Bhabanipur constituency, where Mamata Banerjee is taking on leader of opposition, Suvendu Adhikari.
Early trends suggest Suvendu Adhikari is leading in the hotly contested constituency of Nandigram.
As we reach the hour mark of counting, the battle is fierce and balanced in West Bengal, with TMC leading in 64 seats compared to BJP's 72.
First trends have come in the city of Kolkata, with TMC leading two seats in Behala.
As we reach the half hour mark of counting, the battle is fierce and balanced in West Bengal, with TMC leading in 35 seats compared to BJP's 49.
As we reach the half hour mark of counting, the battle is fierce and balanced in West Bengal, with TMC leading in 55 seats compared to BJP's 60. Congress leads two.
Early trends show BJP dominate the district of Malda, leading in six out of 12 seats, whereas TMC is leading four seats. Congress is leading two seats.
Initial trends show TMC leading five seats in key district of Howrah.
20 minutes in and it seems TMC and BJP are neck and neck, with BJP leading slightly with 23 leads over TMC's 21.
BJP are leading in key constituencies of Joynagar, Baruipur Purba and Falakata.
Early trends now show BJP taking the lead, with 13 leads compared to TMC's 11.
Early trends show TMC leading with six seats compared to BJP's five.
TMC are leading in three seats each in stronghold districts of North and South 24 Parganas.
BJP are leading in three seats in Nadia and two seats in Malda.
Early trends show BJP and TMC tied with three leads.
TMC are leading in three seats in stronghold district of South 24 Parganas.
BJP are leading in three seats in Nadia.
Early trends for four seats in the West Bengal election sees TMC taking a slight edge, with three leads compared to BJP's one.
Super early trends show Mamata Banerjee's TMC leading in one seat. However, these are early times and a lot could change in the coming minutes.
The counting of ballots for the West Bengal Assembly Election 2026 has begun! Stay tuned to NDTV Profit for all the latest updates.
We are almost there. Counting is set to start anytime now.
The clock is ticking. Only ten minutes to go before we start counting the first ballots. I hope you guys are just excited as I am.
From the ISF in the minority belts to Humayun Kabir's new outfit, smaller players could hold the key in 20-30 swing seats. In a tight race, every percentage point counts.
Following ECI protocol, postal ballots - often representing government employees and senior citizens - will be opened first. We expect the first EVM trends to begin trickling in by 8:30 AM.
Get your popcorns in! We are just half an hour away from counting.
Keep an eye on the jute and industrial belts of Howrah and Hooghly. These regions saw intense campaigning and high turnouts. Any swing here early on could signal a deeper shift in the working-class vote bank.
Can Lakshmir Bhandar and other welfare schemes blunt the anti-incumbency wave? The TMC is banking on women voters and the rural heartland to offset the BJP's aggressive urban and North Bengal push. Roughly 45 minutes to the first ballot.
For those new to this, keep an eye on the North Bengal results early. If the BJP sweeps the first 50 seats in the North, the pressure is on the TMC to perform in the South, failing which could see them easily getting beaten by the Suvendu Adhikari-led party.
According to NDTV’s Poll of Polls for the West Bengal election, the contest appears extremely tight between the two main alliances.
The TMC is projected to secure around 142 seats, while the BJP is close behind with an estimated 143 seats, indicating a neck-and-neck race.
Meanwhile, the Congress alliance is expected to win just 1 seat, with the Left also projected at 1 seat. Other parties and independents are collectively estimated to take around 7 seats, suggesting limited influence in the overall outcome compared to the two leading blocs.
Only one hour to go before we start counting down the votes. All eyes will be on the Bhabanipur constituency, where Mamata Banerjee is taking on LoP Suvendu Adhikari. A leader here for either side could set the tone for the entire state's momentum.
Massive security blanket across the state this morning. The ECI has deployed 165 additional counting observers and 77 police observers to ensure a "transparent and intimidation-free" process. QR-code-enabled ID cards are mandatory for all personnel entering counting halls.
148: That is the target for a majority in the 294-member West Bengal Assembly. However, with counting for the Falta seat deferred to May 24, today’s active tally will be out of 293. The first party to hit the 147-mark effectively controls the narrative.
Hello and welcome to NDTV Profit. The big judgement day is here for the state of West Bengal. After a record 92% voter turnout, the fate of 293 seats lies inside the EVMs.
As someone hailing from the city of Kolkata, I am personally pumped to give you all the latest updates and keep you informed. Stay tuned to NDTV Profit.
Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
