Early trends are emerging as counting of votes is underway for 293 Assembly seats in the Indian state of West Bengal, with the state heading into verdict day on May 4, 2026, following more than a month of intense campaigning.

In the initial trends, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has crossed the halfway mark in leads, while the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) is aiming to retain power in the state, News.Az reports, citing The Hindu.

TMC leaders have urged caution, stressing that it is still early in the counting process and that trends can change as more rounds are completed.

Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) and the Indian National Congress are closely monitoring the results, hoping to regain political ground in the state after being largely absent from power for five years following their heavy defeat in the 2021 Assembly elections.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday, May 2, 2026, appointed 165 additional counting observers and 77 police observers to oversee the counting process of votes cast in the West Bengal Assembly election scheduled for May 4.

This year, the state recorded exceptionally high voter turnout. The first phase on April 23 saw a turnout of 92.8%, while the second phase on April 29 recorded 91.47% polling. According to the State’s Chief Electoral Officer, this represents the highest voter turnout in West Bengal since Independence.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev