West Bengal Election Results 2026 | In what could mark a historic upset, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has taken a massive lead in West Bengal. The saffron party appears to have made significant inroads across regions and could be on course to reach Nabanna, the state's power centre.

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If the trend holds and the BJP wins, this would be a major blow to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

At the heart of the BJP's surge is Suvendu Adhikari - a fiery leader who has taken on Mamata Banerjee in her own political style, both on the streets and at the ballot box.

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Adhikari, a former close aide of Banerjee, quit the Trinamool Congress ahead of the 2021 Assembly elections. He went on to defeat her in Nandigram that year, marking one of the most significant political upsets in the state.

In the current election, Adhikari is contesting from Bhabanipur, where he is leading against Banerjee.

While the BJP leadership will take a final call on the chief ministerial face, Adhikari's performance - both in taking on Banerjee directly and leading the party's campaign on the ground - is likely to strengthen his position within the party.

Adhikari was elected to the Lok Sabha in 2009. He has served as a minister in the West Bengal government, holding portfolios including transport and environment between 2016 and 2020. He also served as chairman of the Jute Corporation of India from December 2020 to March 2021.

Since joining the BJP, he has been the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly.

After exit polls predicted an edge for the BJP, Adhikari said his own sense was that he would win Bhabanipur by over 20,000 votes and the saffron party would win 180-plus seats in West Bengal. 
 

Published on: May 4, 2026 9:32 AM IST