May 4, 2026
Vote counting began across four states and the union territory of Puducherry on Monday, setting up a high-stakes test of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) midway through his third term.
Counting started at 8 a.m. local time for assemblies in West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. The Election Commission deployed extra observers and a three-tier security arrangement in West Bengal amid fears of unrest after a fiercely fought campaign. West Bengal recorded a turnout of 92.47%, among the highest in its history.
West Bengal: BJP surge, TMC resistance
Early trends showed the BJP mounting a surprising and decisive challenge in West Bengal, a state it had never governed before. At one point India Today and other outlets reported the BJP leading in roughly 190–195 of the state’s 294 seats, up from only three seats in 2021. Scenes of jubilant BJP supporters and workers parading through Kolkata marked the moment, with party offices handing out food and distributing sweets.
The upbeat BJP celebrations contrasted with a tense, quiet atmosphere around Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s residence. Banerjee urged party agents to remain at counting stations and alleged a BJP conspiracy to intimidate voters and manipulate results, claiming bias by the Election Commission. She has not conceded defeat and warned supporters the “real results” would emerge later.
Analysts cautioned that a BJP victory in West Bengal could reflect rejection of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) as much as explicit endorsement of the BJP. The campaign was marked by polarizing issues, including accusations that voter-roll purges disproportionately affected marginalized groups and an acrimonious debate over dietary and cultural politics that featured claims the BJP would ban fish and meat—charges BJP leaders denied.
Kerala: Congress comeback
In Kerala, trends showed the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) comfortably crossing the majority mark. Early data indicated the UDF leading in about 94 of 140 seats, with the Indian National Congress itself leading in roughly 62 constituencies. Senior INC leader Shashi Tharoor described the returns as a “historic” mandate and spoke of a potentially even larger tally. If sustained, the result would end decades-long leftist dominance in one of the Left’s last strongholds.
Assam, Puducherry and Tamil Nadu
Exit polls and early counts indicated the BJP was on track to retain power in Assam for a third consecutive term, extending a decade of BJP-led rule in the northeastern state. In Puducherry, projections suggested the BJP-supported alliance would hold the small coastal territory.
Tamil Nadu presented another competitive picture. Exit polls had pointed to a DMK-led alliance retaining power, but actor-turned-politician Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar—known as Vijay—was reported to be taking an early lead in his party’s debut, raising the possibility of a surprise rearrangement of regional political dynamics.
National picture and significance
Taken together, results from these state polls carry broader significance for Modi’s national standing and for the BJP’s efforts to expand into states it has historically struggled to win. A strong showing in West Bengal and continued dominance in Assam would further extend the BJP’s influence across regions, while losses in Kerala or setbacks in other states would underscore limits to its appeal.
Other developments
– Vote counting logistics: Security teams guarded strongrooms holding electronic voting machines. Multiple rounds of counting were expected to clarify winners as the day progressed.
– Operation Sindoor and defence posture: Ahead of the one-year anniversary of cross-border clashes with Pakistan, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh praised “Operation Sindoor” as an example of modern technological warfare, saying the armed forces demonstrated restraint and capability in targeting terrorists after the May 2025 Pahalgam attack.
– Tragedy in Uttar Pradesh: In Ambedkar Nagar district, a speeding car ploughed into a crowd gathered to assist victims of an earlier motorcycle collision, killing at least eight people and injuring others. Local hospitals received multiple fatalities.
– Media and culture: YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia (BeerBiceps) announced he is working on a documentary about the 2025 “India’s Got Latent” controversy involving comedian Samay Raina, a row that prompted police complaints, regulatory scrutiny and a wider debate on online content standards.
What to watch next
Official results will be declared once counting finishes and the Election Commission verifies constituency outcomes. Observers will watch whether the BJP’s apparent advances translate into substantive governing mandates in new states, how regional parties hold or lose ground, and whether contested counts in places like West Bengal fuel post-election disputes or unrest.