Counting is set to begin on May 4, 2026, after authorities completed preparations across Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and the Union Territory of Puducherry, where elections were held over the past month. Officials have tightened security at counting centres as results for 823 Assembly seats are expected to be declared through the day.
Polling for the 2026 Assembly elections took place between April 9 and April 29. Assam, Kerala and Puducherry voted in a single phase on April 9. Tamil Nadu and the first phase in West Bengal went to the polls on April 23, with West Bengal’s second phase held on April 29.
West Bengal’s campaign was marked by intense political confrontation and repolling ordered in three constituencies — Falta, Diamond Harbour and Magrahat Paschim. The state’s contest centred on a bitter rivalry between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), and the outcome is closely watched as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee seeks another term. Banerjee has rejected exit-poll projections unfavourable to the TMC and remained adamant that her party would win more than 200 seats.
Exit polls released after voting projected mixed results across the five jurisdictions. In West Bengal several surveys indicated gains for the BJP and the possibility of an upset for the TMC, while other polls still allowed for a fourth consecutive TMC term. In Kerala most exit polls favoured the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF): Axis My India put the UDF at 78–90 seats in the 140-member Assembly, while the Manorama C-Voter survey suggested around 94 seats. Polls projected the Left Democratic Front (LDF) at roughly 44–62 seats, with the BJP-led NDA likely to remain marginal but possibly open an account.
Assam stood out as the state where most pollsters forecast a clear return for the BJP-led NDA under Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Axis My India projected the NDA at 88–100 seats, with rival alliances trailing in the mid-20s to mid-30s. In Tamil Nadu, the bulk of exit polls predicted another term for the DMK-led alliance under Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, though some surveys pointed to a strong showing by actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK); Axis My India gave TVK a sizable seat-range in its estimates while projecting the DMK alliance in a similar bracket. Exit polling in Puducherry suggested the NDA was likely to retain power, with People’s Pulse projecting 15–19 seats in the 30-member Assembly.
As counting begins on May 4, 2026, results will determine leadership in five key regions and could influence broader political dynamics at the national level. Authorities and party offices remain on alert for developments through the day.
Original Source: https://www.indiatodayne.in/elections/story/823-seats-five-major-contests-counting-of-votes-for-assembly-polls-including-assam-begins-tomorrow-1386399-2026-05-03?utm_source=rssfeed
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Publish Date: 2026-05-03 22:19:00
