In a historic political shift, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is on the verge of forming its first-ever government in West Bengal. As of Monday afternoon (May 4, 2026), counting trends show the BJP leading in 194 seats, comfortably crossing the majority mark of 148 in the 294-seat assembly.
The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) is facing a major setback, leading in only 94 seats.Key DevelopmentsCelebrations Begin: BJP workers have already started victory celebrations across the state, including shouting slogans outside Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s residence.Mamata’s Stance: Despite trailing globally, Mamata Banerjee is leading in her own seat of Bhawanipore. She has urged supporters to "wait and see," stating they will "fight like tiger cubs.
"The "End of Play": LoP Suvendu Adhikari declared that Mamata Banerjee’s "Khela" (game) is over and the state is ready for a double-engine government.Who Will Be the Chief Minister?With a BJP victory looking certain, the focus has shifted to who will lead the state. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had previously assured that the Chief Minister would be a "Bhoomiputra" (Son of the Soil).According to reports from The Indian Express, the top contenders for the post include: CandidateCurrent Role/BackgroundSuvendu AdhikariLeader of the Opposition & key architect of the campaignSamik BhattacharyaState BJP PresidentDilip GhoshFormer State President & influential grassroots leaderSukanta MajumdarUnion Minister and former State PresidentSwapan DasguptaFormer Rajya Sabha MP and prominent intellectualRegional Round-upWhile Bengal captures the headlines, other states show distinct trends:Tamil Nadu: Superstar Vijay’s TVK is making a stunning debut, leading in several seats.Assam & Puducherry: The NDA maintains a solid lead, poised to retain power.Kerala: The UDF (Congress-led) is currently ahead of the LDF.As the final results are formalized, West Bengal prepares for a monumental change in its political landscape after over a decade of TMC rule.
