BJP Surges in Bengal, TVK Shakes Tamil Nadu as India's 2026 Election Results Reshape Political Map

Key facts

• BJP has won 118 seats across Bengal, Kerala, Puducherry, Assam and Tamil Nadu.
• TVK has secured 38 seats so far, with its candidate VS Babu defeating DMK chief MK Stalin in Kolathur.
• Congress-led UDF is set to form a new government in Kerala, unseating the incumbent Left government.
• BJP-led NDA retained Puducherry with PM Modi praising Chief Minister N Rangasamy.
• Assam's BJP-led NDA secured a third consecutive term with 70 seats, as CM Himanta Biswa Sarma thanked voters.
• Trinamool Congress lost the Shyampukur seat to BJP candidate, who defeated TMC's Shashi Panja.
• West Bengal recorded a historic turnout of 92.47%, the highest in the state's electoral history.

Modi Declares Victory for 'People's Power' as BJP Makes Inroads in Bengal

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at BJP headquarters in Delhi on Wednesday evening to address party workers, saluting them as 'karyakartas' and declaring that the 2026 elections would be remembered forever. 'People's power has prevailed and BJP's politics of good governance has triumphed,' Modi said. 'I bow to each and every person of West Bengal.' The Prime Minister's remarks came as the BJP secured victory in 58 seats in West Bengal, a significant gain from its 2021 performance, though the Trinamool Congress (TMC) remains the largest party in the state. In a notable upset, the BJP candidate defeated TMC's Shashi Panja in the Shyampukur constituency, and the party also demanded a repoll in Canning Purba, alleging irregularities. Modi also congratulated the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), the party led by actor Vijay, which has emerged as a formidable force in Tamil Nadu. The TVK has won 38 seats so far, and its candidate VS Babu defeated incumbent Chief Minister MK Stalin in the Kolathur constituency, dealing a severe blow to the DMK.

TVK Shocks DMK as Stalin Loses Kolathur; Congress-led UDF Set to Rule Kerala

In Tamil Nadu, the DMK's commanding 2021 mandate of 159 seats in the 234-seat assembly has been shattered. The TVK has secured a lead in 111 seats, pushing the DMK to third position, according to early trends. Chief Minister MK Stalin lost his own seat of Kolathur to TVK candidate VS Babu, a result that has sent shockwaves through the state's political establishment. The DMK also lost the Madurai Central seat, further underscoring the scale of the anti-incumbency wave. The party, which had governed with a comfortable majority, now faces an uncertain future as the TVK, led by actor-turned-politician Vijay, emerges as the dominant force. In Kerala, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) is set to form a new government, unseating the incumbent Left Democratic Front (LDF) government led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The UDF secured a lead in 63 seats, according to early trends, ending the LDF's hopes of a third consecutive term. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra lauded the UDF victory, calling it a triumph of democratic values.

Assam Gives BJP Third Straight Term; Puducherry Stays with NDA

In Assam, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) secured a third consecutive term, winning 70 seats and achieving a comfortable majority in the 126-seat assembly. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who sought re-election, thanked the people of Assam for their continued trust. The Congress, which had mounted a resurgent campaign, managed only 24 seats, according to early trends. The voter turnout in Assam was 85.38%, comfortably ahead of the 82.04% recorded in 2021, reflecting high electoral engagement. The contest was a straight fight between Sarma's NDA and a Congress-led opposition, with the NDA's victory cementing its dominance in the northeastern state. In Puducherry, the NDA retained the union territory, with Prime Minister Modi praising Chief Minister N Rangasamy for his leadership. The victory in India's smallest electoral battle was part of a broader NDA sweep across multiple regions.

Historic Turnouts and Anti-Incumbency Wave Define the 2026 Elections

The 2026 state assembly elections witnessed record-breaking voter turnouts across the five battlegrounds. West Bengal recorded a historic turnout of 92.47%, the highest in the state's electoral history, surpassing even the landmark 2011 election that ended three decades of Left rule. Tamil Nadu also broke its own record with an 85.10% turnout, the highest for any state assembly election since Independence. Anti-incumbency played a decisive role in several states. In Kerala, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who had secured a historic back-to-back win in 2021, faced severe headwinds as the opposition UDF sensed an opening in the 140-seat assembly. In Tamil Nadu, the DMK's 2021 mandate of 159 seats was overturned by a wave of support for the TVK. The counting process, however, faced criticism. The Trinamool Congress claimed that the counting was unusually slow, raising concerns about transparency. The Election Commission of India (ECI) continued to release updated results on its official websites, including eciresults.nic.in and results.eci.gov.in.

Congress and Rahul Gandhi Reach Out to Rival Leaders as Political Landscape Shifts

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi spoke to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Wednesday, according to party sources. The calls came as the Congress-led UDF prepared to form a government in Kerala, while the party faced setbacks in other states. The Congress has won 70 seats across the five battlegrounds, placing it behind the BJP's 118 and the TVK's 38. The party's performance in Kerala, where it is set to unseat the LDF, provides a much-needed boost after recent electoral defeats. Prime Minister Modi, in his address, emphasized the BJP's gains in Bengal and Assam, describing the results as a vindication of the party's governance model. He also acknowledged the TVK's emergence, congratulating Vijay's party on its performance.

Outlook: New Political Equations and the Road Ahead

The 2026 election results have reshaped India's political landscape, with the BJP consolidating its hold in the east and northeast, while a new regional force, the TVK, has upended the traditional Dravidian parties in Tamil Nadu. The Congress, though weakened nationally, has retained a foothold in Kerala, offering a counterpoint to the BJP's dominance. For West Bengal, the BJP's gains signal a continued challenge to Mamata Banerjee's TMC, even as the state recorded its highest-ever turnout. In Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma's third consecutive term underscores the BJP's enduring appeal in the region. The most dramatic shift, however, is in Tamil Nadu, where the DMK's defeat and MK Stalin's loss in his own constituency mark the end of an era. The TVK, led by Vijay, now faces the task of forming a government, a prospect that will test the actor-politician's ability to translate electoral success into stable governance. As the ECI continues to release final results, the full implications of these elections will become clearer. For now, the message from the voters is unmistakable: a demand for change, delivered through record turnouts and decisive verdicts.

The bottom line

• BJP won 118 seats across five states, with significant gains in West Bengal (58 seats) and a third consecutive term in Assam.
• TVK emerged as the dominant force in Tamil Nadu, winning 38 seats and defeating DMK chief MK Stalin in Kolathur.
• Congress-led UDF is set to form a new government in Kerala, unseating the incumbent LDF government.
• Record voter turnouts were recorded in West Bengal (92.47%) and Tamil Nadu (85.10%), the highest in their respective histories.
• Anti-incumbency played a key role, particularly in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, where incumbent parties lost ground.
• The counting process faced allegations of slowness from the Trinamool Congress, though the ECI continued to publish updates.