Early trends from the 2026 West Bengal Legislative Assembly elections have emerged for around 160 of the 293 seats, indicating a closely contested political landscape. In the North Bengal region, the Bharatiya Janata Party has taken an early lead in more than 30 of the 60 seats, posing a challenge to the All India Trinamool Congress. The trend reflects a pattern similar to the 2021 Assembly elections, when the party registered a notable performance in the region.
North Bengal, considered a politically significant region, accounts for 60 key constituencies. Initial data indicates that the BJP is leading in over half of these seats, while the party led by Mamata Banerjee remains competitive. The outcome in this region is expected to influence the overall balance of power in the state.
Electoral contests remain active across districts including Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, Darjeeling, North and South Dinajpur, and Malda. Key constituencies such as Bidhannagar, Rajarhat New Town, Siliguri, Kurseong, Chopra, Balurghat, and Malda are witnessing closely fought contests.
In the 2021 Assembly elections, the Trinamool Congress secured 92 of the 152 seats in this broader region, while the BJP won 59 seats. The party’s best performance at the time was recorded in North Bengal, and current trends indicate a continuation of that pattern.
The first phase of polling recorded a turnout of 92.03 percent. South Dinajpur reported the highest turnout at 94.98 percent, followed by Cooch Behar at 94.75 percent and Birbhum at 93.88 percent. According to the state’s Chief Electoral Officer, the final turnout figures may increase.
A total of 1,478 candidates are contesting across 152 seats in this phase. The Election Commission of India has stated that it is committed to conducting the elections in a peaceful and transparent manner.
Reports of violence were also recorded during the polling process. In the Kumarganj area of South Dinajpur, a BJP candidate was allegedly attacked. In Murshidabad, clashes were reported between political workers. Allegations also emerged from the Domkal area of Murshidabad district that some individuals were prevented from voting, following which the Election Commission has sought a report.
The contest between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the All India Trinamool Congress remains central to determining the political outcome in the state, with the BJP seeking to strengthen its position in North Bengal and the Trinamool Congress aiming to retain power across West Bengal.
