BJP Sweeps Bengal, TVK Emerges Largest Party in Tamil Nadu in 2026 Assembly Elections
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 206 of 293 seats in the West Bengal Assembly election, defeating the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and unseating Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who lost from Bhabanipur to BJP's Suvendu Adhikari by 15,105 votes. The Election Commission declared results on May 4, marking the BJP's first majority in the state and a dramatic shift from the 2021 outcome where TMC won 213 seats and BJP 77.
In Tamil Nadu, Joseph Vijay's debut party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) won 107 seats in the 234-member Assembly, emerging as the single largest party, while DMK and AIADMK suffered major setbacks. Vijay won from Perambur and Tiruchirappalli East, with his party falling short of a majority but receiving immediate support offers from smaller parties.
The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) secured power in Kerala, ending the Left Democratic Front's (LDF) decade-long rule; the LDF now holds no state government in India. In Assam, the BJP-led NDA won 102 seats, achieving a third consecutive term, while the opposition Congress was reduced to 21 seats. In Puducherry, the N Rangasamy-led All India N R Congress-BJP alliance retained power with 14 seats, defeating a Congress-led opposition that won nine.
Mamata Banerjee alleged electoral irregularities in Bhabanipur, claiming her counting agent was removed and that she faced physical intimidation at the centre; the Election Commission has not responded. Suvendu Adhikari, who also retained Nandigram by 9,665 votes, hailed the result as a victory for 'Hindutva and Bengal.'
The President of India is expected to invite the BJP to form the government in West Bengal, while in Tamil Nadu, the Governor will assess TVK's claim to form a coalition government; formal swearing-in ceremonies are anticipated within the week.