Counting of votes began at 8 am on Monday and is underway across five regions — West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry — with results expected to determine the political direction of these key states and the Union Territory.
In Tamil Nadu, early trends show the DMK leading on 43 seats, while Vijay's TVK is ahead in 15 seats.
In West Bengal, which has 294 assembly seats, the halfway mark stands at 148. The state is witnessing a triangular contest involving the BJP+, Congress-led alliance and the ruling TMC+.
Tamil Nadu, with 234 seats, has a majority mark of 118, with the main contest between the DMK+ and AIADMK+ alliances, alongside emerging regional players.
Kerala's 140-seat assembly has a majority mark of 71, with a traditional bipolar contest between the LDF and UDF, while the BJP+ looks to expand its presence.
At 10:33 AM
BJP just misses 100 seats in Assam
The 2026 Assam Assembly election trends indicate a strong performance by the BJP+ alliance, projected at 97 seats — just short of the 100 mark but a significant rise of +27 from 2021.
The BJP-led NDA had retained power in 2021 with 75 seats, marking the first time a non-Congress alliance won consecutive terms in the state. The Congress-led Mahajot had then secured 50 seats.
Current data shows BJP+ well above the 64-seat majority mark in the 126-member assembly. The AIUDF+ has dropped sharply from 11 seats in 2021 to just 2, while others have reduced to 1 seat. The Congress+ stands at 23 seats, indicating limited gains.
Huge story from West Bengal this morning. BJP ahead on 168 seats as of now. The winning party needs 148 seats to come to power. TMC ahead on 112 seats.
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) May 4, 2026
History being written in the state of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, the founder of Bharatiya Jana Sangh.
Tamil Nadu update
Actor-turned-politician Vijay has stunned observers as his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), surged past the 100-seat mark in early trends.
TVK is leading in 101 seats in the 234-member assembly, ahead of the DMK-led alliance at around 50 seats, while the AIADMK-led alliance trails at approximately 73 seats.
At 10:25 AM
EC bans victory rallies in Bengal
No victory rallies will be allowed anywhere in West Bengal on counting day, a senior official from the CEO's office said. The poll panel is also looking into complaints about party agents being unable to reach counting centres.
At 10:09 AM
BJP surge signals shift in Bengal
The results indicate a major political shift in West Bengal. BJP+ has surged to around 158 seats, a gain of +84 since 2021, while TMC+ has dropped to 119 seats, down by 91.
Other sources show similar trends — BJP leading between 142 and 150 seats, with TMC+ trailing. With the majority mark at 148, BJP+ appears to have either crossed or is close to crossing the threshold.
VIDEO | West Bengal Election Results: “Strict checks causing minor delays for agents, but counting progressing smoothly,” says Special Electoral Roll Observer Subrata Gupta.#WestBengalPollResults2026 #Results2026WithPTI #AssemblyElectionResults2026
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 4, 2026
(Full video available on PTI… pic.twitter.com/1K0QQCvSqv
At 9:45 AM
BJP crosses majority mark in Bengal
According to NDTV trends, BJP+ has crossed the majority mark, leading in 158 seats. TMC+ has fallen to 119 seats.
BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari is leading in key constituencies, including Bhabanipur against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and in Nandigram.
Elsewhere, BJP+ has secured Assam with 84 seats, while in Kerala, UDF has crossed the majority mark with 86 seats. Tamil Nadu is witnessing a major shift, with TVK emerging as a strong contender.
At 9:18 AM
High-stakes leads in Bengal
Suvendu Adhikari is leading in both Nandigram and Bhabanipur.
These trends align with broader data showing BJP gaining ground while TMC slips, though both were initially short of the majority mark.
In Assam, BJP+ crossed the majority mark early, while in Kerala, UDF moved ahead of LDF.
At 9:10 AM
Postal ballot counting ended in Puducherry, with EVM counting underway. BJP is leading in over 20 seats.
#WATCH | Kolkata: On the early trends, West Bengal LoP and BJP candidate from Nandigram and Bhabanipur, Suvendu Adhikari, says, "I haven't received the official figures from Bhabanipur, but in the first round, there are both Muslim Front booths and Hindu Front booths. After six… pic.twitter.com/7Emv3wrWkM
— ANI (@ANI) May 4, 2026
At 9:05 AM
BJP gains in Bengal, UDF leads in Kerala
Latest trends show BJP leading in Bengal with strong gains over 2021, while TMC+ has declined.
In Kerala, UDF crossed the majority mark, potentially unseating LDF. Assam remains firmly with BJP+, while in Tamil Nadu, TVK is disrupting traditional vote shares.
In Puducherry, BJP+ is leading comfortably above the majority mark.
At 9:01 AM
Tension was reported at a vote-counting centre in Nagapattinam Government Arts College in Tamil Nadu.
At 9:00 AM
Major shifts across states
Early trends indicate a strong BJP surge in Bengal, a comfortable lead in Assam, and a competitive battle in Kerala.
Tamil Nadu is seeing a significant shift with TVK making gains, impacting both DMK+ and AIADMK+.
At 8:52 AM
Early trends show close contests
Initial postal ballot trends suggested a close contest in Bengal, while BJP-led NDA led in Puducherry and Assam.
Kerala showed a tight race between LDF and UDF, while Tamil Nadu initially indicated a DMK lead before later shifts.
At 8:00 AM
Counting begins across states and UT
In West Bengal, the contest is primarily between TMC and BJP.
Tamil Nadu is witnessing a three-way contest involving DMK+, AIADMK+, and Vijay's TVK.
Assam sees BJP aiming for a third consecutive term.
Kerala is set for a tight battle between LDF and UDF, despite exit polls favouring UDF.
In Puducherry, Chief Minister N Rangaswamy and his AINRC are seeking to retain power.
By the end of the day, the results are expected to clarify which parties retain power and where major political shifts take place across these regions.
