West Bengal Assembly Elections 2026
West Bengal witnessed a veritable political earthquake on May 4, with the long-ruling Trinamool dethroned and the BJP storming to power.

The BJP's historic victory ended the Trinamool Congress’ 15-year rule and helped it capture power in a state that had long resisted the party’s expansion.

Riding on a sharp swing in voter support across urban centres, border districts and tribal belts, the BJP won 207 seats in the 294-member assembly, comfortably crossing the majority mark and registering its biggest-ever breakthrough in eastern India. The Trinamool Congress was reduced to 80 seats in one of its worst electoral performances since coming to power in 2011.

The verdict marked a dramatic reversal from the 2021 election, when Mamata Banerjee had led the TMC to a sweeping victory.

The BJP’s gains were driven by strong performances in south Bengal, north Bengal and the Kolkata metropolitan region, areas where the party had earlier struggled to establish a stable organisational base.

One of the biggest political upsets came in Bhabanipur, where senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari defeated Mamata Banerjee in a high-profile contest. Adhikari also retained Nandigram, strengthening his position as the frontrunner for the chief minister’s post. The defeat of Banerjee in her traditional bastion symbolised the scale of the anti-incumbency wave against the TMC government.

The BJP also swept several prestigious urban constituencies in Kolkata and adjoining districts. In many seats, victory margins crossed 50,000 votes, underlining the scale of the saffron party’s dominance. Election Commission data showed that of the 39 constituencies where winning margins exceeded 50,000 votes, the BJP secured 23 seats, while the TMC won 15.

Among the notable winners was veteran TMC leader Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, who managed to retain his seat and entered the assembly for a record tenth term despite the party’s wider collapse. However, several senior TMC ministers lost their constituencies as the BJP made deep inroads into regions that had remained loyal to Banerjee for over a decade.

The election outcome marked one of the BJP’s most significant state-level victories after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, giving the party control of another major state and substantially altering the political landscape of eastern India.

Assam Assembly Elections 2026
BJP's utter dominance in its "fortress in the Northeast" is now cast in stone. The BJP-led NDA swept back to power in Assam with a commanding mandate in the 2026 assembly elections, extending its dominance in the northeastern state and handing chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma his second consecutive term and a third consecutive term for the alliance.

The Bharatiya Janata Party emerged as the principal force in the 126-member assembly, crossing the majority mark on its own for the first time in the state.

The alliance secured 102 seats in the 126-member Assembly, reaffirming its dominance in the state. The BJP alone won 82 seats -- the first time the party has crossed the majority mark on its own in Assam -- while allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) secured 10 seats each. The opposition was reduced to 24 seats, with the Congress winning 19 constituencies. Its ally Raijor Dal secured two seats, while the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) and the Trinamool Congress managed two and one seats respectively.

The outcome marked the BJP’s strongest performance in Assam since it first came to power in 2016. Political observers described the verdict as an endorsement of Sarma’s governance model centred on infrastructure, welfare expansion and a strong law-and-order narrative.

Among the most closely watched constituencies was Jalukbari, where Sarma retained his stronghold comfortably. Jorhat emerged as another headline contest after Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi suffered a high-profile defeat to BJP candidate Hitendra Nath Goswami by 23,182 votes. The result was viewed as a major political setback for the Congress leadership in the state.

In Dispur, one of Assam’s most prestigious urban seats, BJP’s Pradyut Bordoloi registered one of the biggest victories of the election, defeating Congress rival Mira Barthakur Goswami by a margin of 49,667 votes. Bordoloi’s switch from the Congress to the BJP before the polls became one of the defining political stories of the campaign.

The BJP also performed strongly across Guwahati’s newly delimited urban constituencies, underlining its growing hold over metropolitan and semi-urban voters. Constituencies such as Guwahati Central and New Guwahati witnessed decisive victories for NDA candidates.

The election results further consolidated the BJP’s position in the Northeast, with Assam continuing to serve as the party’s most important political base in the region.

Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2026
Tamil Nadu delivered one of the most dramatic verdicts in its recent political history as actor-turned-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) emerged as a major force in the 2026 assembly elections, reshaping the state’s traditional DMK-AIADMK political landscape.

TVK, contesting its first state election under Vijay’s leadership, secured nearly 110 seats and emerged as the central player in government formation discussions. DMK and AIADMK registered largely disappointing performances, though they retained some of their pockets of influence.

One of the most closely watched contests was in Perambur, where Vijay registered a decisive victory, cementing his transition from cinema superstar to mass political leader. He also won from Trichy East, though he is expected to retain only one constituency as required under election rules.

His victories triggered celebrations across the state, particularly among younger voters and first-time supporters who rallied behind TVK’s anti-establishment campaign.

Several constituencies produced razor-thin contests. In Tirupattur, TVK candidate R Seenivasa Sethupathy defeated senior DMK leader K R Periyakaruppan by just one vote after a recount, ending the DMK’s two-decade dominance in the seat. The result became one of the biggest talking points of the election because of its extraordinarily small margin.

TVK also scored notable victories in southern districts. In Ottapidaram, R S Murugan defeated his DMK rival by 11,414 votes, adding to the party’s growing influence in the region.

The election also highlighted the persistence of regional strongholds. Many constituencies with the largest victory margins remained loyal to their traditional political camps, reflecting the enduring strength of local party networks despite the broader churn in state politics.

As per the final numbers, DMK ended with 59 seats, and AIADMK, 47.

For the DMK, the verdict represented a setback after five years in office, while for AIADMK, the results intensified questions over leadership and organisational revival. But the defining story of the election was undoubtedly Vijay’s rapid rise, with TVK transforming from a fan-driven movement into a formidable political force in its electoral debut.

Kerala Assembly Elections 2026
Kerala witnessed a decisive political shift in the 2026 assembly elections as the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) stormed back to power after a decade, ending the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front’s uninterrupted rule in the state. The UDF secured 102 seats in the 140-member assembly, delivering one of the alliance’s biggest victories in recent decades and pushing the Left to one of its poorest performances in Kerala.

The verdict marked the end of chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s bid for a historic third straight term. According to reports, anti-incumbency, unemployment concerns and local dissatisfaction with the LDF government contributed to the sweeping reversal. The Congress emerged as the single largest party within the alliance, while the BJP-led NDA improved its footprint by winning three seats and finishing second in several constituencies.

Among the most closely watched battles was Dharmadam, where Vijayan trailed in early rounds before narrowly retaining the constituency. Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala registered a comfortable win from Haripad, reaffirming his influence in central Kerala. Several ministers in the outgoing LDF government, including high-profile cabinet members, lost their seats as the UDF wave spread across the state.

One of the largest victory margins came from Irikkur, where Congress candidate Sajeev Joseph defeated Kerala Congress (M) rival Mathew Kunnappally by more than 42,000 votes, underlining the scale of the UDF’s dominance in northern Kerala.

In Kuttanad, Kerala Congress candidate Reji Cheriyan defeated NCP leader Thomas K Thomas by 20,600 votes in a major gain for the UDF alliance. Meanwhile, CPI leader Govindan Pallikappil managed to hold Kanhangad for the Left, defeating Kerala Congress candidate Shaiji Ottapalli by over 15,000 votes and emerging as one of the few prominent LDF winners in north Kerala.

The BJP also made gains in urban and semi-urban constituencies such as Nemom, Kazhakootam and parts of Thiruvananthapuram district, reflecting a gradual expansion of its support base in the state.

Political observers described the result as a return to Kerala’s traditional pattern of alternating governments, with voters decisively backing the opposition after two consecutive Left terms. The outcome also handed the Congress one of its most significant state-level victories ahead of the next Lok Sabha election cycle.

Puducherry Assembly Elections 2026
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) retained power in Puducherry in the 2026 Assembly elections, with the All India N.R. Congress (AINRC) led by Chief Minister N. Rangasamy once again emerging as the dominant force in the Union Territory’s politics. The verdict extended Rangasamy’s political relevance and paved the way for his fifth term as chief minister.

The AINRC-led alliance crossed the majority mark comfortably in the 30-member Assembly, benefiting from strong support in urban as well as semi-rural constituencies. The BJP, contesting as part of the NDA, also improved its footprint, while the opposition INDIA bloc led by the Congress and DMK failed to convert campaign momentum into enough seats.

One of the biggest highlights of the election was Rangasamy retaining the Thattanchavady constituency, becoming among the earliest winners declared on counting day. His victory reinforced his standing as Puducherry’s most influential regional leader.

The election witnessed a record voter turnout of nearly 90%, the highest ever recorded in Puducherry, signalling intense voter participation and heightened political engagement across the Union Territory. Polling was held on April 9, while counting took place on May 4.

Among key constituencies, Muthialpet witnessed a closely fought battle, where AINRC candidate Vaiyapuri Manikandan defeated Congress nominee Eeram G. Rajendran by a margin of 952 votes, making it one of the tightest contests in the election.

The elections also threw up several politically significant victories tied to influential regional players. The contest drew attention due to the involvement of members of lottery businessman Santiago Martin’s family, who secured victories from different parties across southern states, underlining the complex political alignments in the region.

The NDA’s return to power in Puducherry stood out at a time when electoral contests across several states produced mixed outcomes for national and regional parties. Political observers said the alliance benefited from a combination of welfare measures, Rangasamy’s personal appeal and the absence of a cohesive opposition strategy.

Following the victory, Rangasamy was sworn in as chief minister for a record fifth time, with AINRC and BJP leaders joining the new council of ministers.