'New fear-free chapter in Bengal begins today': Modi after historic poll win

The BJP has so far won 245 seats across West Bengal, Assam, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, while the Congress has won 83 seats, DMK at 49, TMC at 55 and Vijay's TVK at 87.

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[Live updates close]

9:50pm 

State-wise list of leading parties

Assam- BJP- 81 seats

Kerala- Congress- 63 seats

Puducherry- AINRC- 11 seats

Tamil Nadu- TVK- 91 seats

West Bengal- BJP 171 seats

9:45pm

Suvendu leads against Mamata by a margin of 10,000+ votes

BJP's Suvendu Adhikari is now leading from the Bhabanipur constituency by a margin of over 10,000 votes as per the latest ECI data.

9:30pm

Suvendu leads against Mamata by a margin of 10,000+ votes

BJP's Suvendu Adhikari is now leading from the Bhabanipur constituency by a margin of over 10,000 votes as per the latest ECI data.

9:25pm

Son of Vijay's driver wins from Virugambakkam constituency

R Sabarinathan, the 30-year-old son of actor-politician Vijay's long-time driver and personal assistant Rajendran, has won in the Virugambakkam assembly constituency here.

Sabarinathan, contesting on a Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) ticket, won by 27,086 votes, according to the latest Election Commission figures.

Speaking to reporters briefly after receiving his certificate, Sabarinathan said, "I am very happy with the win and very grateful to Vijay, he has put an end to DMK."

Rajendran has been associated with Vijay since the actor's debut film 'Naalaiya Theerpu', serving as his driver and personal aide.

Sabarinathan emerged as one of the most talked-about candidates of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections after an emotional video of him breaking down on stage went viral, shortly after his name figured among TVK's list of candidates.

9:20pm

Suvendu Adhikari widens lead margin by 6,226 votes against Mamata

BJP's Suvendu Adhikari is zooming ahead of TMC's Mamata Banerjee in her Bhabanipur bastion by a margin of 6,226 votes with three more rounds of counting pending.

9:15pm

Which party won how many seats

The BJP has so far won 245 seats across West Bengal, Assam, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, while the Congress has won 83 seats, DMK at 49, TMC at 55 and Vijay's TVK at 87, as per the latest ECI data.

9:10pm

'Poriborton hoye geche', PM Modi's three-word message after ending TMC era in Bengal

Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded BJP's massive win in West Bengal as a "historic chapter" in the state's history even as he said a new chapter of development has already begun in the state. Addressing party supporters at the BJP headquarters, PM Modi said Bengal is now "bhay mukt" (free from fear) and "vikas ke bharose se yukt hua hai" (filled with confidence in development.)

"Banglay poriborton hoye geche" (Changes have taken place in Bengal)", PM Modi told the gathering in Bengali.

9:05pm

Mamata falls behind by 563 votes against BJP's Suvendu Adhikari in Bhabanipur

Mamata trailing by 564 votes against BJP's Suvendu Adhikari in the 17th round of voting. Three rounds are remaining.

9:00pm

How have parties fared in the elections so far

The BJP has so far won 217 seats across West Bengal, Assam, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, while the Congress has won 82 seats, DMK at 45, TMC at 49 and Vijay's TVK at 79, as per the latest data released by the Election Commission of India (ECI).

8:45pm

Modi says 'Maa Ganga' called him

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recalled his 2013 nomination as the BJP's prime ministerial candidate, saying that when he went to Kashi to file his papers, "a voice naturally rose from my heart" and he had said, "I have not come here on my own… Maa Ganga has called me."

Modi added that the BJP has now also been blessed by the Brahmaputra and Maa Kamakhya, as the people of Assam have once again backed the party. 

He said the mandate marks the third consecutive term for the BJP-led NDA in the state, calling it a "hat-trick" of public trust.

While addressing BJP workers at Delhi BJP headquarters, PM Modi said, "There should be talk of change, not revenge; let us put an end to this endless cycle of violence forever."

"In 2021, we presented the vision of Best Puducherry to the people of Puducherry. The people of Puducherry expressed their faith in that vision and blessed us. Over the past five years, our NDA government has worked with complete dedication and commitment to accelerate this vision. And today, once again, the people of Puducherry have expressed their trust in the NDA."

PM Narendra Modi says, "The Congress today is adopting the same communist ideology that people have already rejected. It is increasingly turning into a group of urban Naxals."

8:40pm

States along Ganga river now ruled by BJP, says PM

Election results LIVE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "Last year, on November 14, when the Bihar election results were declared, I had told you from this very spot at the BJP headquarters that the Ganga flows beyond Bihar all the way to Gangasagar. And today, with the victory in Bengal, the lotus has bloomed from Gangotri to Gangasagar. Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and now West Bengal—these states along the Ganga are today governed by the BJP and the NDA."

8:30pm

Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "The results of the by-elections declared today were also highly encouraging. In Maharashtra, Gujarat, Nagaland and Tripura, our candidates received strong public support and secured victories. NDA leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar, too, registered a landslide win."

Modi says that the election victory in West bengal markes a news "fear-free chapter" in state's history.

8:00pm

Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "These were the first assembly elections since BJP President Nitin Nabin assumed the presidency. The guidance provided to every party worker during these elections proved invaluable in this victory."

Modi said, "Democracy runs through our veins as a core value; today, not only has India's democracy won, but India's Constitution has also triumphed."

He said, "The guidance of every party worker has been invaluable," adding that these were first elections after party president Nitin Nabin took control.

Modi says, "Being a party worker myself, I am with every party worker in this victory. He added that the wide mandate shows people's trust on "performance politics."

He further thanked people of West Bengal, Pudecherry and Assam for historic victories.

BJP National President Nitin Nabin said, "This is an historic moment for us...The party has recieved a historic mandate in four states and one UT. I thank the public for bestowing their trust on the BJP."

"The prosperity of every family in Puducherry is our resolve. Our mantra is 'Nagarika Devo Bhava'".

"The results of the by-elections declared today were also highly encouraging. In Maharashtra, Gujarat, Nagaland and Tripura, our candidates received strong public support and secured victories. NDA leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar, too, registered a landslide win."

7:55pm

'Lotus bloomed everywhere,' says Modi in address

Modi says, "From Gangotri to Gangasagar, the lotus has bloomed everywhere" as he addressed party workers in the BJP headquarters in Delhi.

7:45pm

PM Narendra Modi reaches Delhi BJP headquarters to address the party workers after historic victoy in West Bengal. The BJP has registered historic victory in West bengal, Puducherry and Assam.

7:12pm

PM Modi's address shortly

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to address on the occasion of the BJP's massive victory in Bengal and Assam where it is set to form the government for the third straight term.

7:10pm

BJP candidate from Canning Purba in Bengal demands repoll

Canning Purba, Ashim Sanpui has demanded a repoll in the constituency as he alleged irregularities in the counting process. "In Canning Purba, at least 70 EVM boxes did not tally, and around 50 machine numbers conflicted with our polling records. We raised this issue with the authority, but they dismissed our objections," Sanpui said.

TMC's Paresh Ram Das is leading in the Canning Purba seat with a margin of 37,181 votes.

7:00pm

Amit Shah congratulates Assam BJP for third straight win

Home minister Amit Shah congratulated the BJP cadre in Assam for winning a straight third term. "The third landslide victory of the NDA in Assam is a testament to people's unwavering trust in BJP's double engine government under PM Modi Ji and CM Himanta Biswa Sarma Ji which is turning Assam into a land of hope & development from the land of disturbances," Shah wrote on X.

6:30pm

Anti-incumbency ruled the roost this elections season

The highlight of this season of Assembly elections has been anti-incumbency as incumbent parties have faced drubbing in Kerala, Bengal and Bengal. However, the BJP government led by Himanta Biswa Sarma pulled off a spectacular hattrick term for the saffron party in Assam.

6:20pm

Will do everything possible to fulfil dreams and aspirations, says PM Modi on Bengal results

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the BJP in Bengal as it looks ahead to a spectacular win in Mamata's bastion. "Lotus has bloomed in Bengal," Modi said in a post on X. "The people have given a spectacular mandate to BJP and I assure them that our Party will do everything possible to fulfil the dreams and aspirations of the people of West Bengal. We will provide a Government that ensures opportunity and dignity to all sections of society," Modi posted on X.

6:15pm

PM Modi lauds big strides for BJP in Bengal and Assam

Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked the people and BJP workers in Bengal and Assam as trends indicate big wins for the party in both states.

"BJP's record win in West Bengal would not be possible without the efforts and struggles of countless Karyakartas over generations. I salute them all. For years, they have worked hard on the ground, overcome all sorts of adversities and spoken about our development agenda. They are the strength of our Party," PM Modi said in a tweet.

"The BJP-NDA's win in the Assam Vidhan Sabha elections illustrates the unwavering support for our Alliance's emphasis on development and bringing a positive difference in people's lives. I thank my sisters and brothers of Assam for the resounding mandate. I also assure them that we will keep working for the state's transformation," he said in a another post.

6:10pm

BJP candidate defeats Trinamool's Shashi Panja in Bengal's Shyampukur

BJP candidate Purnima Chakraborty defeated Trinamool's Shashi Panja by over 14,000 votes in Bengal's Shyampukur seat.

6:00pm

Trinamool claims counting process unusually slow

ECI election results 2026 LIVE: Reacting to the upward tick for the BJP in Bengal, AITC leader Abhishek Banerjee said: "Whatever verdict the people deliver must be accepted by everyone in a civilised society. However, the counting process has been unusually slow. Earlier, in 2021, nearly 90% of counting was completed within eight and a half hours; now, only 6–8 rounds have been completed in the same time frame. I urge everyone to remain patient. I also appeal to all Trinamool counting agents not to leave the counting centres under any circumstances."

5:50pm

MK Stalin loses Kolathur to TVK candidate VS Babu

Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin has lost the Kolathur seat to TVK candidate VS Babu, who has collected his winning certificate at the Loyola College counting centre.

5:40pm

Congress's Adhir Ranjan trails from Bahrampur

ECI election results 2026 LIVE: Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who was contesting the Bahrampur seat in Bengal after a gap of 25 years, is trailing behind the BJP candidate by over 23,000 votes.

5:35pm

TVK candidate from Kolathur arrives at counting centre, Stalin set to lose

ECI election results 2026 LIVE: VS Babu, TVK candidate from Tamil Nadu's Kolathur seat, is set to defeat incumbent MLA and chief minister MK Stalin from there. He is currently leading by over 8,700 votes against Stalin in the last round of counting, ECI data showed.

5:30pm

Priyanka Gandhi thanks people of Kerala as UDF races towards win

ECI election results 2026 LIVE: Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi thanked the people of Kerala for their faith in the party as the UDF surged ahead in the state. "To all my brothers and sisters in Keralam, thank you for your faith and for your overwhelming support. The trust you have placed in us will be the UDF's guiding force as we work hard towards building a better future for each one of you. I sincerely hope that our gratitude to you will be evident each day of the next five years as we strive to fulfill our commitments to you with honesty and humility," Gandhi wrote on X.

As per ECI data, Congress has won 55 seats in Kerala so far and is leading on 8.

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Polls in-depth

After 17 rounds of counting in Bengal's Bhabanipur constituency, chief minister Mamata Banerjee is trailing behind BJP's Suvendu Adhikari by a margin of 6,226 votes. The BJP is leading in West Bengal, NDA looks set for a return in Assam and the anti-incumbency wave in Kerala is favouring Congress-led UDF, according to poll trends. The counting of votes is also underway in Puducherry and Tamil Nadu, where Vijay's TVK has left a big mark.

The BJP has so far won 245 seats across West Bengal, Assam, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, while the Congress has won 83 seats, DMK at 49, TMC at 55 and Vijay's TVK at 87, as per the latest data released by the Election Commission of India (ECI).

The BJP is making big inroads in Bengal with a massive lead on many seats as per trends, and is also giving a good fight in Assam and Puducherry. In Kerala, the Congress-led UDF is performing well so far, crossing the halfway mark according to ECI trends. Meanwhile, superstar Vijay's TVK has made a strong debut in Tamil Nadu, crossing the halfway mark of 118 and dealing a huge blow to MK Stalin's DMK.

 

Previously, with a surprise ECI announcement on Saturday, all 285 polling stations in Bengal's Falta assembly seat will undergo repolling on 21 May, and therefore won't be part of today's results announcement.

Most exit polls project a narrow win for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in West Bengal, a state that experienced high political drama after allegations of EVM tampering and malfunction were made when the final phase of voting concluded.

In Assam too, pollsters' projections favour the BJP, predicting a third consecutive term for the party. In Kerala, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) may unseat the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government from power, as per some exit polls. In Puducherry, the NDA may be poised for a victory and a similar fate was projected for the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Tamil Nadu.

The West Bengal assembly polls were held in two phases on 23 April and 29 April and the results for them will be out today following a heated campaigning battle between the incumbent Trinamool Congress (TMC), led by chief minister Mamata Banerjee, and the BJP.

While the TMC is aiming for a historic fourth term in the state, BJP is looking to create history by winning in Bengal for the first time.

Apart from the main rivals, BJP and TMC, other political parties are also in fray in West Bengal assembly polls, including Congress and the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

With no surprises, polling in Bengal saw several incidents of violence, particularly between workers of both the rival parties and also reports of Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) tampering.

This led to repolling across 15 booths in West Bengal's Dakkhin 24 Parganas district in Diamond Harbour and Magrahat Paschim on 2 May, just two days ahead of counting.

The decision of repolling was taken by the Election Commission of India following reports of EVM tampering during the second phase of polling held on 29 April.

Repoll in Falta on 21 May

The Election Commission of India on Saturday (2 May) ordered repolling across all 285 polling stations in West Bengal's Falta assembly constituency following severe electoral offences and subversion of the democratic process during the polling that was held in the second and final phase on 29 April.

The repolling will be held on 21 May between 7am and 6pm across all poll booths, including auxiliary polling stations.

The votes of repolling in Falta will be counted on 24 May. Voter turnout of 87.6% was recorded in Magrahat Paschim and 86.11% in Diamond Harbour till 5pm after repolling, leading to a combined voter turnout of 86.9%.

Record voter turnout

Polling in West Bengal during both the phases saw record voter turnout of over 90%. During phase 1, Bengal recorded a whopping 93.19% turnout and during phase 2, the voter turnout was 91.66%. This means that the combined voter turnout in Bengal was 92.47%.

EVM tampering allegations

The election commission received several complaints of EVM tampering during the second phase of polling in West Bengal. The poll body received at least 77 complaints related to EVM tampering during the second phase of voting, out of which, an official said that 32 came from Falta, 13 were received from Magrahat, 29 were received from Diamond Harbour, and three were received from Budge Budge.

Giving a glimpse into the allegations of EVM tampering, EC officials said that the buttons of a political party on EVMs were found covered with adhesive tape or blackened with ink, which prevented voters from casting their votes. In other cases, attar was applied to the buttons so that anyone pressing them could be identified by rival parties.

Mamata vs Suvendhu

Among the key candidates in frey in the West Bengal assembly polls is chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who is contesting from Bhabanipur and will face BJP's Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari in a high-stakes battle.

She won the seat in 2021 with a margin of around 58,000 votes and has now claimed that after the Special Intensive Revision, around 51,000 voters have been deleted from the constituency.

The Supreme Court on Saturday told the Trinamool Congress that the Election Commission of India's circular on deploying central government staff as counting supervisors is "not contrary to rules".

The apex court's observation came while hearing the Trinamool Congress' plea challenging the Election Commission's directive to deploy central government and PSU employees as counting personnel for the West Bengal polls.

A bench of Justices PS Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi underscored that the ECI is within its limits to select counting personnel, noting that "the ECI can choose counting personnel from only one pool (central government)" and that the circular "cannot be said to be incorrect."