Election Results: Incumbents Win Big In West Bengal, Assam, Kerala; Tamil Nadu Chooses DMK
Catch all the updates from the results of the state assembly polls here.
Mamata Banerjee Sweeps West Bengal For Third Time
As results poured in for the big contest in West Bengal, the Trinamool Congress has established a healthy lead toward forming the government for the third consecutive time.
Mamata Banerjee's party is leading in 212 constituencies of the 292 where elections were held, while the Bharatiya Janata Party leads in 78. The Left Front, which governened the state for three decades before the Trinamool came to power, faces a complete rout, failing to notch up a single lead. The same has been the case with its alliance partner, the Indian National Congress.
The Power Balance In India's States
As the result trends stand now, the NDA will cede power in Tamil Nadu, hold on in Assam, and gain in Puducherry. Non-NDA parties remained on the treasury benches in West Bengal and Kerala. Here's how the political landscape of India at the state-level looks like
Prashant Kishor To Quit Political Strategy
Political strategist Prashant Kishor will move out of I-PAC. Kishor shot into the limelight in 2014, when he helped with the BJP's messaging and campaign to make Narendra Modi Prime Minister. He has since been an advisor for number of political parties.
Kishor who’s been one of Mamata Banerjee’s key advisors in this election, had earlier promised to quit the space, if BJP won more than 100 seats in West Bengal, but has today announced that he will quit despite ensuring that the BJP’s tally is below 100.
He has also been advising MK Stalin for DMK in Tamil Nadu.
Pinarayi Vijayan Set To Break Incumbency Jinx
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is set to break a 41-year trend in the state where no incumbent government was re-elected to a second term. The Left Democratic Front is leading in more than half of Kerala's 140 constituencies, as of 1 pm.
Stalin Leads DMK To Victory In Tamil Nadu
The Election Commission's results dashboard shows a contest in Tamil Nadu that is heading towards a change in government at the seat of power in Chennai after a decade.
Of the 234 seats in the Assembly, the DMK is leading in 126, its alliance partner the Congress is ahead in 17, and the left parties are leading in 4.
The AIADMK that has been in government for 10 years has notched up 74 leads, the PMK ahead in 6, the BJP in 3 .
Kamal Haasan's Makkal Needhi Maiam has opened its account with one lead.
BJP Retains Power In Assam
Assam is re-electing the National Democratic Alliance to power. The BJP leading in 55 seats, its allies the AGP leads in 11, and the UPP-Liberal is ahead in 8 constituencies. The opposition Congress-AIDUF-BPF combine is ahead in 45 seats, as per the Election Commission data at 7 pm.
