West Bengal Election Results 2026: After 15 years, is Bengal saying goodbye to Mamata? BJP races past halfway mark

West Bengal Results 2026 | In a stunning reversal, the BJP is set to conquer West Bengal. The saffron party is currently leading in 180-plus seats, while TMC is hovering around 105. 

Across these TMC strongholds - together accounting for 119 seats - the BJP is ahead in 61, while the TMC leads in 51. In Malda's 49 seats, the BJP is leading in 28, compared to the TMC's 19. The BJP also appears set to sweep Medinipur, leading in 47 seats, while the TMC trails with just 8.

In the Presidency region, which includes Kolkata and has 108 seats, the BJP is ahead in nearly 50 - a sharp jump from just 18 in 2021.

BJP is holding in the Jungle Mahal region, which comprises areas of Purulia, Bankura, Jhargram, and Paschim Medinipur in West Bengal. The Jungle Mahal region has 40 seats, and the saffron party has made significant gains here. 

Historically, Jungle Mahal was once a stronghold of Left parties. It shifted to TMC after 2011. However, the BJP made remarkable inroads during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, consolidating support among tribal and backward communities. That momentum, however, faltered in the 2021 Assembly elections. In 2021, the BJP performed well in Purulia and Bankura but faltered in Jhargram and Paschim Medinipur.

Counting of votes for 293 Assembly seats in West Bengal is underway, more than a month after hard-fought campaigning, record turnout, and one of the sharpest political contests in recent memory.

West Bengal Election Results Today 

Catch our LIVE Coverage Here: West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam vote counting to begin soon; Mamata's big charge against BJP ahead of results

As counting is underway, the big question is whether Mamata Banerjee can retain power for the TMC or whether the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) can pull off its first-ever victory in the state.

For the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Congress, the day carries a different test: whether they can claw back relevance after being wiped out in the 2021 election. 

Don't Miss: West Bengal Elections 2026: Bhabanipur, Nandigram, Kharagpur - key battlegrounds to watch

What happened in 2021?

In the last assembly election, Banerjee's TMC won 213 of 294 seats, returning to power for a third straight term. The BJP emerged as the principal opposition with 77 seats, a sharp rise from just three seats in 2016. Its vote share also surged to 38%. Congress and the Left Front failed to win a single seat.

What the exit polls are saying

Most exit polls have projected a close contest, though several surveys have given the BJP an edge over the ruling TMC. Pollsters, including P-MARQ, Chanakya Strategies, Poll Diary, Praja Poll and Today's Chanakya, projected the BJP crossing or nearing the majority mark of 148 seats in the 294-member House. 

Among the strongest forecasts for the BJP were Praja Poll, which gave it 178-208 seats, and Today's Chanakya, which projected 192 ±11 seats. Not all surveys pointed in the same direction. People’s Pulse projected a comfortable TMC-led win with 177-187 seats, while some others suggested a hung assembly or razor-thin contest.

Counting day arrangements

Votes will be counted across 77 centres under heavy security. The Election Commission has deployed 165 additional counting observers and 77 police observers. Mobile phones have been barred inside counting halls except for returning officers and observers. Entry is restricted through QR code-based identity cards. Results will be declared for 293 of 294 seats.

The Falta constituency in South 24 Parganas will vote again on May 21 after the EC scrapped the poll there, citing "severe electoral offences and subversion of the democratic process during polling in a large number of polling stations." The counting will take place on May 24.

West Bengal: Key battlegrounds to watch

Bhabanipur: Mamata Banerjee vs Suvendu Adhikari

The most symbolic battle is in Bhabanipur, where Banerjee faces BJP's Suvendu Adhikari on her home turf. After losing Nandigram to Adhikari in 2021, Banerjee shifted to Bhabanipur and won the bypoll. This is their second direct showdown.

Nandigram: Suvendu Adhikari vs Pabitra Kar

Adhikari is contesting from two seats - Bhabanipur and Nandigram. He defeated Banerjee in Nandigram in 2021 and now faces TMC's Pabitra Kar.

Kharagpur Sadar: Dilip Ghosh vs Pradip Sarkar

Former BJP state chief Dilip Ghosh takes on TMC's Pradip Sarkar in a closely watched industrial belt contest. In 2021, BJP's Hiran Chatterjee had defeated Sarkar in a close contest. Ghosh is a former MP, who lost the last Lok Sabha election from Bardhaman–Durgapur.

Baharampur: Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's comeback bid

Former Congress state chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury is in a three-way contest as he seeks to revive Congress fortunes in Baharampur. He is contesting against the BJP's Subrata Maitra and Naru Gopal Mukherjee of TMC. Maitra bagged this seat in 2021.    

Kolkata Port: Firhad Hakim in the fray

Firhad Hakim, a close Banerjee aide and Kolkata mayor, seeks to retain a seat he has held since 2011. He is up against BJP's Rakesh Singh and CPI (M)'s Faiyaz Ahmad Khan.

West Bengal's record turnout

The two-phase election concluded on April 29 with a record 92.47% turnout, the highest in Bengal since Independence.