Vote counting LIVE: Vijay shocks Dravidian giants; BJP crosses 200 in Bengal; UDF wave in Kerala
The 2026 election story: The fall of bastions, the rise of a superstar, and a saffron breakthrough in the East.
Extending its saffron spread in eastern India, the BJP is set for a decisive win over the TMC in long elusive West Bengal and headed for another term in Assam while actor-politician Vijay’s TVK made a stunning debut in Tamil Nadu as the largest single party in terms of seats won or led. As votes were counted for Assembly elections in West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry, Election Commission trends showed a wipeout of the Left and a solitary win for the Congress that has been battling diminishing electoral returns.
Also Read: Understanding the Vijay phenomenon in Tamil Nadu politics
Also Read: What explains Bengal’s saffron shift? 6 reasons why Mamata was decimated
Also Read: UDF landslide in Kerala: The multiple factors that toppled Left
That silver lining for the opposition party came from Kerala where the Congress-led UDF won or was leading in 101 of the 140 Assembly seats while the CPM-led ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) was ahead in just under 40 constituencies.
The cynosure of Election 2026, however, was West Bengal, the eastern state where the Trinamool Congress was eyeing a fourth straight term in its only bastion. As counting progressed, power for the TMC seemed to be pulling away, further and further. The state’s political landscape was changing with the BJP, its campaign spearheaded by Amit Shah with Modi as its lodestar, pushing ahead in border, tribal and industrial regions, while the TMC held ground in parts of Kolkata and select rural strongholds.
According to the Election Commission, the BJP won or was ahead in 195 of the 294 seats, well ahead of the magic number of 147, power in the state finally within its grasp. The Trinamool Congress tally was 90.
In Assam, where the election was a hot-headed affair too, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma led the BJP to another straight victory with leads in 81 of the 126 seats, leaving the Congress far behind at 19. Congress state unit president Gaurav Gogoi faced his first electoral defeat in Jorhat.
West Bengal was one headline of Election 2026, the other was superstar Vijay, who defied the odds and the taint of a stampede during his rally in September 2025 in which 41 people were killed. That was clearly in the past as his party broke bipolar Dravidian politics and was poised to become the largest single party in Tamil Nadu with wins and leads in 109 of the state’s 234 seats. The ruling DMK that had started the morning at number three position was at 61 and the AIADMK at 44.
Chief Minister M K Stalin lost in Kolathur. According to Election Commission data, 15 other ministers were also lagging behind.
The choice, it appeared, was clear. Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar could well join the pantheon of MGR and Jayalalithaa as the stars who made it big in the political firmament.
In Kerala, Congress broke Left's grip, winning over 100 seats. In Puducherry, the All India NR Congress had won or was ahead in 11 of the 30 seats. The DMK stood at five and the BJP at four. The TVK made its presence felt with three.
In Assam, the BJP-led NDA is set to create history surging towards a landslide victory. Under the leadership of Himanta Biswa Sarma, the party is on track to secure a record third consecutive term, with leads comfortably crossing the majority mark.
As the counting is underway, follow our live updates below:
Live Updates
- 4 May 2026 6:40 PM IST
Mamata’s lead shrinks to 3,830 votes in Bhabanipur clash
The battle for the Bhabanipur Assembly seat in West Bengal grew increasingly tense on Monday as Mamata Banerjee saw her lead over BJP challenger Suvendu Adhikari narrow sharply with each round of counting.
Election Commission figures after 14 rounds showed Banerjee polling 48,671 votes, while Adhikari had secured 44,841, reducing the chief minister’s advantage to just 3,830 votes.
The contest has seen dramatic shifts since the morning. Banerjee had built a strong lead of more than 17,000 votes by the seventh round, but the gap steadily shrank thereafter dropping to 15,494 in the eighth round, 12,131 by the 10th, and 7,184 after the 12th.
The trend continued in later rounds, turning what had appeared to be a comfortable lead into one of the closest contests of the day.
Banerjee had started the day with a lead of 1,996 votes before Adhikari briefly moved ahead in the second round. The TMC chief regained control in the third round and widened her advantage, only to see it steadily cut down.
As the contest tightened, Banerjee reached the counting centre at Sakhawat Memorial Government Girls' High School on Lord Sinha Road in the afternoon after the All India Trinamool Congress alleged that one of its counting agents had been forced out.
Adhikari was already present inside the counting centre, adding to the intensity of one of the state’s most closely watched electoral battles.
- 4 May 2026 6:38 PM IST
Pinarayi Vijayan retains Dharmadom amid LDF’s Kerala setback
Pinarayi Vijayan retained the Dharmadom Assembly seat in Kerala, delivering a personal victory even as the CPI(M)-led LDF faced a major setback across the state in the Assembly elections.
Vijayan, who had been trailing in his constituency until the sixth round of counting, staged a recovery and eventually defeated Congress candidate V. P. Abdul Rasheed by a margin of 19,247 votes.
Election Commission figures showed Vijayan polling 85,614 votes, while Abdul Rasheed secured 66,367 votes after putting up a strong challenge in what turned into an unexpectedly close contest.
The chief minister, who led the LDF campaign in the state, has now won from Dharmadom for a third consecutive term.
Dharmadom has traditionally been considered a Left stronghold in Kannur, making the tight contest one of the notable developments of the election.
In the 2021 Assembly elections, Vijayan had won the seat by a margin of over 45,000 votes.
- 4 May 2026 6:31 PM IST
PM Modi congratulates TVK on impressive Tamil Nadu debut
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday congratulated Vijay-led TVK for its strong showing in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, describing the party’s performance as impressive.
In a post on X, Modi extended his greetings to TVK as the party emerged as one of the biggest stories of the election, making a major impact in its debut electoral contest.
“Congratulations to TVK on their impressive performance,” the Prime Minister wrote.
Modi also thanked the voters of Tamil Nadu who supported the NDA in the Assembly polls and said the alliance would continue raising issues concerning the people and work towards improving their lives.
He further assured that the Centre would continue to support Tamil Nadu’s development and remain committed to the welfare and progress of its people.
The Prime Minister’s message came as TVK’s emergence reshaped the political landscape of the state.
- 4 May 2026 6:28 PM IST
PM Modi thanks Assam for BJP-NDA’s resounding mandate
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday thanked the people of Assam after the BJP-led NDA secured another decisive mandate in the state Assembly elections.
In a post on X, Modi described the result as a strong endorsement of the alliance’s development agenda and its governance model in the northeastern state.
“Assam blesses BJP-NDA once again!” the Prime Minister wrote, celebrating the alliance’s performance.
He said the victory reflected the continued trust of the people in the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA and its efforts to bring positive change to people’s lives.
Modi expressed gratitude to voters across Assam for what he called a resounding mandate and assured them that the alliance would continue working for the state’s growth and transformation.
The Prime Minister’s message came as the BJP-NDA headed for another term in power, reinforcing its political dominance in Assam.
- 4 May 2026 6:26 PM IST
PM Modi hails BJP’s maiden West Bengal victory
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday hailed the BJP’s performance in the West Bengal Assembly elections, calling it a historic mandate and a major endorsement of the party’s governance model.
In a series of posts on X, Modi said the outcome would be remembered as a defining moment in the state’s political history.
“The Lotus blooms in West Bengal!” he wrote, adding that the 2026 Assembly election reflected the strength of people’s mandate and the victory of the BJP’s politics of good governance.
The Prime Minister thanked voters across West Bengal for backing the Bharatiya Janata Party and assured them that the party would work to fulfil their aspirations.
He said the BJP would provide a government that ensures opportunity and dignity for every section of society.
Modi also credited the victory to generations of BJP workers, praising their sacrifices, resilience and grassroots efforts in expanding the party’s footprint across the state.
- 4 May 2026 5:53 PM IST
BJP wins 12 seats, leads in 188 as Bengal count continues
The BJP continued its strong surge in West Bengal on Monday, winning 12 Assembly seats and leading in 188 others as counting progressed, according to Election Commission data.
The BJP secured victories in Kalimpong, Darjeeling, Monteswar, Bhatar, Medinipur, Asansol Dakshin, Burwan, Khardaha, Jagatballavpur, Ranibandh, Nakashipara and Jamuria. Among the winners were Bharat Kumar Chetri, Saikat Panja, Agnimitra Paul and Kalyan Chakraborty.
The All India Trinamool Congress, meanwhile, won six seats, including Bhagawangola, Sujapur, Samserganj, Bharatpur, Deganga and Metiabruz. Reyat Hossain Sarkar retained Bhagawangola with a margin of 56,407 votes, while the party was leading in 84 other constituencies.
Sources within the TMC said at least 23 ministers were trailing, including Bratya Basu, Shashi Panja and Chandrima Bhattacharya.
Counting continued in 293 of the state’s 294 Assembly seats after polling in Falta was countermanded by the Election Commission.
- 4 May 2026 5:46 PM IST
NDA wins 37 seats, heads for third term in Assam
The ruling NDA strengthened its grip on Assam on Monday, winning 37 Assembly seats and leading in 65 others in the 126-member House, putting the alliance on course for a third consecutive term in office.
According to Election Commission figures, the Bharatiya Janata Party had won 30 seats and was ahead in 52 more. Its ally, the Bodoland People's Front, secured five seats and was leading in another five, while the Asom Gana Parishad won two seats and was ahead in eight.
The Indian National Congress won one seat and was leading in 18 constituencies. The All India United Democratic Front led by Badruddin Ajmal won one seat and was ahead in another, while Akhil Gogoi-led Raijor Dal was leading in two seats.
Several ministers in Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s cabinet secured victories, including Pijush Hazarika, Ranoj Pegu, Ajanta Neog and Atul Bora.
Meanwhile, Sarma himself built a commanding lead of 83,621 votes in Jalukbari as counting continued.
- 4 May 2026 5:32 PM IST
Rahul Gandhi thanks Kerala for UDF’s decisive mandate
Reacting to the Congress-led UDF’s emphatic performance in the Kerala Assembly elections, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday thanked the people of Kerala for what he described as a decisive mandate.
In a post on X, Gandhi congratulated UDF leaders and party workers for running what he called a determined and well-organised campaign across the state.
“Thank you to my brothers and sisters in Keralam for a truly decisive mandate,” he wrote.
He also said the new political mandate would help unlock the state’s strengths under a Congress-led administration.
“As I said before, Keralam has the talent, Keralam has the potential and now Keralam has a UDF government with a vision to harness both,” Gandhi said.
Ending his message on a personal note, the Congress leader added, “I look forward to seeing my Keralam family soon.”
His remarks came as election trends placed the UDF on course for a decisive return to power in the state.
- 4 May 2026 5:29 PM IST
Watch | Vijay: First Day, First Win, No Presser at all
Vijay leads in Perambur & Tiruchi East, marking a strong electoral debut for TVK. Since entering politics in 2024, his campaign has avoided press conferences and media briefings, relying instead on rallies, mass meetings and direct social media outreach. Is this a new political playbook? - 4 May 2026 5:17 PM IST
Latest leads at 5.17pm
Tamil Nadu
TVK 109
AIADMK+ 52
DMK+ 72
West Bengal
BJP+ 200
TMC+ 87
Kerala
UDF 89
LDF 35
BJP+ 3
Assam
BJP+ 101
Congress 21
AIUDF+ 2
Puducherry
NRC+ 17
Congress+ 8
