BJP Secures Historic First Government in West Bengal as Exit Polls Prove Accurate

Key facts

• BJP won 206 seats in West Bengal, crossing the halfway mark of 148.
• Trinamool Congress reduced to 81 seats from its previous majority.
• In Tamil Nadu, Vijay's TVK won 105 seats, leading in 2 more.
• DMK-led alliance secured 60 seats, AIADMK-led alliance 47 seats.
• Congress-led UDF swept Kerala with 102 seats, ending 10 years of LDF rule.
• CPI(M)-led LDF secured only 26 seats in Kerala.
• NDA retained power in Assam with 102 out of 126 seats.
• In Puducherry, NDA won 16 seats, DMK 5, Congress 1, TVK 2.

BJP Breaks Trinamool Fortress in West Bengal

The Bharatiya Janata Party has formed its first ever government in West Bengal, winning 206 seats in the 294-member assembly, according to final results from the Election Commission of India. The ruling Trinamool Congress, led by Mamata Banerjee, was reduced to 81 seats, with counting still underway in one constituency where the TMC was leading. Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared, "Lotus has bloomed in Bengal," as the saffron party crossed the halfway mark of 148 early in the counting process. The result marks a historic shift in a state that had been an impenetrable fortress for the Trinamool Congress since 2011.

Vijay's TVK Shakes Up Tamil Nadu Politics

In Tamil Nadu, actor-turned-politician Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) made a stunning electoral debut, winning 105 seats and leading in two more. The ruling DMK, in alliance with the Congress and DMDK, secured 60 seats, while the AIADMK-led alliance won 47 seats. The result reshapes the state's political landscape, with TVK emerging as the largest single party. The DMK's vote share slumped as Vijay's party drew support from across the spectrum.

Congress-Led UDF Returns to Power in Kerala After a Decade

Kerala saw a power shift as the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) won 102 seats in the 140-member assembly.(M)-led Left Democratic Alliance (LDF) secured only 26 seats, a dramatic fall from its previous majority. The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a UDF ally, won 22 seats, while the Congress itself took 63. The result ends 10 years of Left rule and marks the Left's complete abolition from India's political map after decades of presence in multiple states.

NDA Retains Assam and Puducherry

In Assam, the BJP-led NDA secured a record third consecutive term, winning 102 out of 126 seats. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma steered the alliance to victory, while the Congress-led opposition was reduced to 21 seats. The AIUDF managed just two seats. In Puducherry, the All India NRC-led NDA won 12 seats, with its partner BJP securing four, for a total of 16 in the 30-member assembly. The DMK won five seats, Congress one, and Vijay's TVK two. The union territory voted on April 9.

BJP Prepares for Victory Celebrations at Delhi Headquarters

At the BJP's Delhi headquarters, preparations for a celebration began early, with chefs preparing food for 400 to 500 people. The breakfast menu included sandwiches, aloo poori, poha, and jalebi, along with fresh fruits, lassi, rabri, and mishti doi. The dessert menu featured Bengali rasogulla and jalebis. A chef told ANI, "We have been preparing since 4 in the morning. Food is being prepared for approximately 400 to 500 people." The party braced for a positive outcome based on exit polls and early trends from analytics portal PValue.

Counting Underway for Bypolls Across Five States

Alongside the assembly results, the ECI is also counting votes for bypoll elections held for seven seats across Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tripura, Nagaland, and Gujarat. The results will be declared alongside the state assembly outcomes. The comprehensive electoral exercise underscores the ECI's logistical capacity, as it manages simultaneous counting for multiple states and union territories.

The bottom line

• BJP's victory in West Bengal ends 14 years of Trinamool Congress rule and marks the party's first government in the state.
• Vijay's TVK emerges as a major force in Tamil Nadu, winning over 100 seats and reshaping the state's political dynamics.
• Congress-led UDF returns to power in Kerala after a decade, while the Left is wiped out from all states.
• NDA retains Assam for a third term, consolidating its hold in the Northeast.
• Exit polls accurately predicted the BJP's strong performance in Bengal and Assam, as well as TVK's surge in Tamil Nadu.
• The ECI's simultaneous counting for five states and seven bypolls demonstrates its organizational capacity.