The Bharatiya Janata Party has surged ahead in the initial rounds of vote counting for the West Bengal Assembly elections, leading in over 150 seats and raising alarm within the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), which is facing significant setbacks.
According to early trends displayed on the Election Commission of India website, the BJP was leading in 24 seats, while the TMC was ahead in just five. However, TV reports suggest the BJP has widened its lead, leading in over 150 seats, with the TMC trailing behind in 95 seats.
BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari was leading in the crucial Nandigram constituency by 3,100 votes against TMC’s Pabitra Kar. In Jhargram, BJP candidate Lakshmi Kanta Sau was ahead by 5,156 votes. In Kolkata, BJP’s Purnima Chakraborty led by 283 votes over TMC minister Shashi Panja.
Further gains for the BJP were seen in Monteswar, where Saikat Panja led TMC's Siddiqullah Chowdhury by 3,486 votes. In Asansol Dakshin, Agnimitra Paul of the BJP was ahead by 6,271 votes.
The saffron party was also leading in several other constituencies, including Dinhata, Gosaba, Baghmundi, Bankura, Durgapur Purba, Binpur, Nayagram, Rajganj, and Bhagwangola, signaling significant early gains across the state.
In Bhabanipur, however, TMC supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was leading BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari by 1,996 votes, suggesting a closely fought battle in her stronghold.
The counting is being conducted at 77 centres across 293 Assembly constituencies under heavy security, as political tensions rise across the state. Early results indicate a seismic shift in West Bengal's political landscape, with the BJP making substantial inroads into TMC's traditional strongholds.
