Initial leads suggest a closely fought race, with both the LDF and UDF crossing the 50-mark in early trends, indicating no clear frontrunner in the opening rounds. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has also managed to open its account, though it remains a distant third in the overall contest.
In Varanasi, women gathered to pray and perform rituals, wishing for BJP’s success in West Bengal. Meanwhile, counting of votes has started in Bengal.
The high-stakes contest between the Left Democratic Front (LDF), the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has narrowed to a crucial battle of numbers.
In West Bengal, counting is being held on 293 of the total 294 seats after the Election Commission of India scrapped the Falta polls over “severe electoral offences” and announced fresh voting on May 21.
Having been a Rajya Sabha MP, the soft spoken ‘Bhadralok’, has now been fielded from Kolkata’s prestigious Rashbehari constituency by his party.
As the second phase of polling for the West Bengal Legislative Assembly concluded on 29 April 2026, exit polls began to appear for all four states, including Assam, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, along with the Union Territory of Puducherry.
Seven assembly seats across five states are seeing crucial bypoll results today after elections held in April. Key contests shaped by legacy, party prestige and multi-cornered fights could shift regional political dynamics.
As a child, I played a game called ‘Saap Seeri’ (Snakes and Ladders). It was a simple pursuit: except for an occasion or two – having not mastered the “art of throwing dice” – I climbed the ladders of progress only to be swallowed by a snake that pulled me back to the threshold.
With the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) seeking an unprecedented third consecutive term and the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) pushing for a comeback, the day promises a decisive verdict in one of India’s most closely watched electoral battles.
Counting of votes for the 2026 Assembly elections in West Bengal is currently underway.
