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 12:30 PM IST
Poised for win in Baramati bypoll, Sunetra Pawar urges supporters to avoid victory rallies
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar, who is heading towards a decisive win in the Baramati assembly bypoll, appealed to NCP workers and her supporters on Monday not to take out victory processions once the result is declared.She dedicated the trust placed in her by voters to the memory of her late husband, Ajit Pawar, and urged people to exercise restraint and uphold conduct that reflects his ideals. The byelection, held on April 23, was necessitated following the death of the then Deputy CM and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) head Ajit Pawar in a plane crash near Baramati airstrip in Pune district on January 28.His wife Sunetra Pawar, contesting her first assembly poll, is posied for a huge win riding a sympathy wave, and given her family's strong hold on the constituency. No major political party has fielded candidates against her.As per the latest trends on the Election Commission's website, Sunetra Pawar secured 61,917 votes, while only one of her 22 rivals managed to cross the 200-vote mark so far. In a post on X, the deputy CM said, "As the results are being declared today, I dedicate the trust reposed in me through your votes to the sacred memory of respected Ajit Dada (as he was fondly called)." She said the moment was emotional for her supporters as it revived memories of the late leader."I humbly appeal to all party workers and supporters who deeply loved Dada not to take out victory processions or celebrate with gulal. Let us maintain restraint and conduct ourselves in a manner befitting his ideals," Sunetra Pawar said, thanking the electorate for the mandate and said it marked the beginning of a new phase for the constituency."I sincerely thank the people of Baramati for giving me the opportunity to realise Dada's vision. This is not the end, but just the beginning - of determination, struggle, and a new Baramati," she added. - 4 May 2026 12:30 PM IST
Latest leads
Tamil Nadu
TVK 104
AIADMK+ 71
DMK+ 58
West Bengal
BJP+ 189
TMC+ 100
Kerala
UDF 84
LDF 40
BJP+ 3
Assam
BJP+ 99
Congress 25
AIUDF+ 2
Puducherry
NRC+ 15
Congress+ 11
- 4 May 2026 12:20 PM IST
Former BJP MP Dilip Ghosh leads in Kharagpur Sadar
Former BJP MP Dilip Ghosh was leading by 3,156 votes over his nearest rival Pradip Sarkar of the TMC in Kharagpur Sadar assembly constituency in Paschim Medinipur district of West Bengal, according to the Election Commission.Ghosh, a former BJP state president, polled 6,229 votes, while Sarkar bagged 3,073 votes. CPI(M)'s Madhusudan Roy was at the third spot, bagging only 344 votes.One round of counting has been held, with 19 more rounds remaining. Both Ghosh and Sarkar were former MLAs of the constituency. Ghosh had also represented the Medinipur Lok Sabha seat. - 4 May 2026 12:19 PM IST
BJP candidate leading by nearly 3,000 votes in Singur
The Bharatiya Janata Party is leading by nearly 3,000 votes in Singur, one of the focal points of the campaign in the West Bengal assembly election over the abandoned Tata Nano car factory, over the Trinamool Congress.BJP's Arup Kumar Das is leading by 2,965 votes in Singur constituency over his nearest rival Becharam Manna of the TMC. Das secured 15516 votes while Manna bagged 12651 votes. The TMC has been winning the Singur seat in Hooghly district since 2001.Singur has often come as a point of discourse in the West Bengal assembly elections owing to the abandonment of the Nano car factory there by Tata Motors over an anti-farmland acquisition movement by TMC chief Mamata Banerjee - 4 May 2026 12:14 PM IST
Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan back in lead
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who trailed in the initial stages of counting, has taken a lead of over 1,500 votes in Dharmadom.
- 4 May 2026 12:13 PM IST
KPCC chief thanks voters as UDF crosses majority mark in Kerala
Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Sunny Joseph says, "Thankful to the Kerala people for giving us a thumping victory in the Legislative Assembly election. This is a repetition of what has happened in the local body. This is a clear verdict against the LDF for their anti-people activities and policies."
The Congress-led UDF has crossed the majority mark, and leads in 83 seats as per the latest trends.
- 4 May 2026 12:08 PM IST
Mamata widens lead after early jitters, ahead of Suvendu by 8,482 votes
West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee on Monday widened the lead over BJP rival Suvendu Adhikari to 8,482 votes after the fourth round of counting in the high-stakes Bhabanipur constituency.
According to Election Commission data, Banerjee polled 17,244 votes against Adhikari’s 8,762, significantly establishing her lead in what began as a see-saw contest.
The contest witnessed sharp swings in the initial rounds. Banerjee had opened with a lead of 1,996 votes in the first round, securing 3,666 votes against Adhikari’s 1,670.
However, the BJP leader overturned the advantage in the second round, moving ahead by 1,558 votes.
Banerjee bounced back in the third round, regaining the lead by 898 votes, before consolidating her position further in the subsequent round.
- 4 May 2026 11:59 AM IST
For supporters, 'Thalapathy' Vijay becomes 'Muthalamaichar' (Chief Minister) Vijay
As actor-politician Vijay-led TVK appeared inching towards the majority mark of 118 Assembly seats out of the total 234 segments in Tamil Nadu, celebrations by party workers and fans erupted across the state.
Amid chants of 'TVK' and 'Vijay,' party workers gathered outside the party headquarters at Panaiyur near here and distributed sweets and hailed the party founder as "Muthalamaichar (Chief Minister) Vijay, who continues to be popular as "Thalapathy (Commander, his film title)."
Meanwhile, visuals of Vijay's father Chandrashekar and some family members expressing joy and happiness appeared in some television channels. Vijay's party is leading in at least 108 seats out of the total 234 segments.
- 4 May 2026 11:57 AM IST
Stalin among 15 DMK ministers trailing
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin was among 14 DMK ministers trailing in their respective constituencies even after the third round of counting.
According to the Election Commission (EC) Stalin, who is contesting in Kolathur, was trailing by 2,277. Likewise, deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Staling was trailing by 1,244 votes in Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni.
DMK General Secretary and senior minister Durai Murugan was also trailing by 2,293 votes at the Katpadi Assembly segment. Similarly, other ministers, including P Geetha Jeevan (Thoothukkudi), Ma Subramanian (Saidapet), EV Velu (Tiruvanamalai), P K Sekarbabu (Harbour), TM Anbarasan (Alandhur), K N Nehru (Trichy west), Govi Chezhian (Thiruvidaimarudur), Nazar (Avadi), Mathiventhan (Rasipuram), TRB Raja (Manargudi), KKSSR Ramachandran and Thangam Thenarasu in Trichuli were trailing.
- 4 May 2026 11:55 AM IST
Latest leads: BJP ahead in Bengal, Assam; TVK in TN; UDF in Kerala
Tamil Nadu
TVK 108
AIADMK+ 73
DMK+ 52
West Bengal
BJP+ 194
TMC+ 96
Kerala
UDF 83
LDF 42
BJP+ 2
Assam
BJP+ 99
Congress 25
AIUDF+ 2
Puducherry
NRC+ 15
Congress+ 11
