West Bengal Election voted in two phases on April 23 and April 29, 2026 to elect all 294 members of the state legislative assembly. Vote counting began on May 4, 2026 across 77 counting centres in the state. Early trends and counting updates showed a major shift in West Bengal politics. The BJP was leading in 189 seats while the Trinamool Congress was ahead in only 88 seats as of 4:50 PM on counting day. If the trend holds, the BJP will form the government in West Bengal for the first time, ending Mamata Banerjee’s 15-year rule.
In this article you will get to know about the West Bengal Election 2026.
Historic Voter Turnout
The 2026 West Bengal election recorded a voter turnout of 92.93%, the highest ever in the state. This broke the previous record set in the 2011 assembly elections. Over 68.25 million voters were eligible to cast their votes this time. The high turnout was seen across rural and urban areas. In Kolkata and other urban centres, turnout improved compared to past elections. One reason was the setting up of polling booths inside high-rise buildings and housing complexes, which made it easier for elderly voters and residents to vote without going far from home.
Early Trends Show BJP Ahead
As counting progressed through the day, the BJP maintained a strong lead. By 4:50 PM, the party had won 9 seats and was leading in 189 others. If this trend continued, the BJP would cross the halfway mark of 148 seats and form the government on its own. The TMC, which won 215 seats in 2021, was trailing badly. It had won just 1 seat and was leading in 88 others by late afternoon. This would mark one of the biggest political turnarounds in West Bengal Election recent history.
TMC’s 15-Year Rule Comes to an End
Mamata Banerjee became Chief Minister of West Bengal in 2011, ending 34 years of Left Front rule. She won again in 2016 and 2021. The 2021 election was a tough contest against the BJP but TMC held on with 215 seats. This time the story looks very different. Anti-incumbency after 15 years in power, issues around jobs, corruption, law and order, and governance worked against the TMC. Voters clearly wanted change and the counting trends showed that change was happening.
What Worked for the BJP
The BJP fought the election on several key issues. Jobs and unemployment were at the top. The party criticized the TMC government for delayed recruitment exams and the recruitment scandal that hit the state in recent years. The BJP also promised industrial revival and more investment in the state. Border security and illegal migration were other major talking points, especially in districts close to the Bangladesh border. The BJP also raised concerns about law and order, women’s safety, and corruption under the TMC government. All of this seemed to have worked with voters across the state.
What BJP Promised the People — Sankalp Patra 2026
Union Home Minister Amit Shah released the BJP’s manifesto- called the Sankalp Patra or Bhoroshar Shopoth– for the West Bengal elections. It covered promises across jobs, women, farmers, governance, health, and law and order.
- On jobs, the BJP promised to create one crore jobs and self-employment opportunities over five years. Unemployed youth will receive Rs 3,000 monthly financial assistance. The manifesto also includes Rs 15,000 support for candidates preparing for competitive exams and a five-year age relaxation for those who lost job opportunities due to corruption.
- On women, the BJP promised Rs 3,000 per month directly into the bank accounts of every woman. It also promised 33% reservation for women in all state government jobs, including in the police force. Women-only police battalions and Durga Surokha Squads were also announced to improve safety.
- On governance, the BJP promised to implement the 7th Pay Commission and the Uniform Civil Code within six months of coming to power. The party also promised dearness allowance for all government employees and pensioners.
- On law and order, the BJP promised zero tolerance against infiltration, secure borders, one law for all, and a stop to cattle smuggling.
- On farmers, the BJP promised targeted support for key crops like rice, potato, and mango. It also pledged to register all fishermen under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana and transform West Bengal into a major fish-exporting hub.
- On health and education, the BJP promised to implement Ayushman Bharat in West Bengal, free HPV vaccination, breast cancer screening, and the establishment of AIIMS, IIT, and IIM in North Bengal.
- On culture, the BJP promised to build a Vande Mataram museum and include Kurmali and Rajbongshi languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
Voter Roll Controversy
One of the biggest controversies during the campaign was the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. Around 9 million voters were removed from the voter list in West Bengal. This was about 12% of the total electorate. Over 6 million were marked as absentee or deceased. Another 2.7 million cases were still pending before tribunals at the time of the election. The TMC said this exercise was unfair and risked removing genuine voters. The BJP defended it and said it was needed to clean up fake entries and illegal migrants from the list. The issue went to court and remained a major talking point throughout the campaign.
EVM Complaints and Repolling
After voting ended, complaints came in about EVM tampering in West Bengal Election. There were reports of EVM buttons being blocked with tape or bubble gum, and opposition candidate names being marked by TMC workers. The Election Commission looked into these complaints and ordered repolling in 15 booths across two constituencies — 11 booths in Magrahat Paschim and 4 booths in Diamond Harbour. Repolling happened on May 2, 2026. In the Falta assembly seat in South 24 Parganas, the Election Commission found heavy violations and ordered the entire constituency to repoll on May 21, 2026, with results on May 24, 2026. Because of this, counting on May 4 took place in 293 out of 294 seats.
Campaign Issues
The West Bengal Election was shaped by several big issues. Jobs and unemployment dominated discussions. Young voters wanted to know when recruitment exams would be held and when jobs would come. The recruitment scam, where large sums were taken as bribes for government jobs, was still fresh in people’s minds. Women’s safety was another major issue. Governance, corruption, and law and order were also raised by opposition parties. The TMC government defended its record by pointing to welfare schemes, infrastructure projects, and continued investment. But the counting trends showed voters were not convinced.
What Happens Next
If the BJP crosses the halfway mark and wins a majority, it will form the government in West Bengal for the first time. A Chief Minister will be chosen and a new cabinet will be sworn in. The TMC will go into opposition after 15 years in power. Mamata Banerjee will likely remain the face of the party but questions will be raised about what went wrong. The Congress and the Left Front seem to have been pushed further to the margins. One seat Falta will still go to polls on May 21 with results on May 24, but it will not change the overall outcome.
A Historic Shift
The 2026 West Bengal election will be remembered as one of the biggest political shifts in the state. A 92.93% voter turnout showed people were serious about change. The BJP’s rise in the state has been steady since 2019. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won 18 out of 42 seats in West Bengal. In 2021, it won 77 assembly seats, a huge jump from just 3 in 2016. Now in 2026, if trends hold, the BJP is set to form the government on its own. For Mamata Banerjee and the TMC, this is a huge setback. For West Bengal, this marks the beginning of a new political chapter.
Conclusion
The West Bengal election results of 2026 show a clear mandate for change. After 15 years of TMC rule, voters chose the BJP in large numbers. Issues like jobs, corruption, law and order, and governance played a big role. The BJP’s Sankalp Patra made strong promises on jobs, women, farmers, governance, and health. Now the focus shifts to whether the BJP delivers on those promises. The high voter turnout of 92.93% showed people were ready to vote and be heard. West Bengal is heading for a new government and a new chapter in its political history.