In a dramatic reshaping of India’s political landscape, the 2026 Assembly election results on Monday unseated three incumbent chief ministers (CMs), propelled the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to a historic breakthrough in West Bengal and handed the Congress a crucial victory in Kerala even as it faltered elsewhere.
The BJP’s surge was most striking in West Bengal, where it crossed the 200-mark in the 294-member Assembly and is set to form its first-ever government in the state. The result not only ended the dominance of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) but also saw chief minister Mamata Banerjee lose her Bhabanipur seat to BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari by 15,105 votes.
The electoral churn extended beyond Bengal, with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) securing a third consecutive term in Assam with a two-thirds majority, while in Kerala, the Congress managed to wrest power from the Left Democratic Front (LDF), ending its decade-long rule — a rare bright spot for the party amid a string of recent electoral setbacks.
The results also marked the exit of Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin and Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, signalling a wider anti-incumbency wave and the rise of new political power centres across states.
BJP’s Bengal Breakthrough
According to election commission trends, the BJP crossed 200 in combined wins and leads in the 294-member West Bengal Assembly, a decisive mandate that effectively ends the TMC’s dominance in the state.
Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee suffered a stunning defeat in her home constituency of Bhabanipur.
Ms Banerjee lost to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari by 15,105 votes, marking one of the most significant upsets of the 2026 Assembly elections. The defeat also signalled a broader collapse for the TMC leadership, with several senior ministers failing to retain their seats, though leaders such as Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, Firhad Hakim and Javed Khan managed to secure victories.
The outcome in West Bengal formed part of a wider electoral churn across multiple states, with the BJP registering strong gains, retaining Assam for a third consecutive term and expanding its national footprint.
Modi Hails ‘Historic Day’
Prime minister (PM) Narendra Modi described the results as a milestone moment, asserting that the BJP’s victory reflects public trust in governance and performance.
“The lotus is now blooming from Gangotri to Gangasagar,” he says while addressing party workers at the BJP headquarters. PM Modi called on political parties to prioritise development over vendetta politics, adding that the verdict reflects 'trust in democracy, performance and stability'.
He also highlighted the end of Left rule in India following the loss of the LDF in Kerala.
Opposition Alleges ‘Stolen Polls’
Amid the BJP’s sweeping gains, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged that the elections in Assam and West Bengal were manipulated.
In a post on X, Gandhi claimed that both states were “clear cases of the election being stolen by the BJP with the support of the Election Commission.” He added that the Congress agrees with Mamata Banerjee’s assertion that more than 100 seats were 'stolen' in Bengal.
The election commission has not responded to these allegations.
Mixed Fortunes for Congress
The Congress experienced a mixed electoral outcome. While it managed to wrest power in Kerala, ending a decade-long rule of the LDF, it suffered setbacks elsewhere, particularly in Assam, where the BJP-led NDA secured a commanding mandate.
In Assam, the NDA is set to form the government for a third consecutive term with 102 seats in the 126-member Assembly. The BJP alone won 82 seats, crossing the majority mark independently for the first time in the state. Its allies — the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) and the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) — secured 10 seats each.
Tamil Nadu Throws Up New Dynamics
Tamil Nadu delivered one of the most striking outcomes of the election cycle, with actor-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) making a spectacular debut. The party emerged as the single-largest formation with 107 wins and leads in the 234-member Assembly.
The state also witnessed massive victory margins. AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami won his Edappadi seat by 98,110 votes, while TVK candidates recorded similarly large margins in key constituencies, underlining a decisive shift in voter preference.
Kerala: BJP Gains, but Vote Share Static
In Kerala, the BJP secured three seats but failed to significantly improve its vote share, which stood at 11.42% with over 2.46mn (million) votes. The party had targeted crossing the 20% mark to establish itself as a major force in the state, a goal it fell short of achieving.
Puducherry and Regional Developments
In Puducherry, the AINRC-led NDA is set to return to power, with chief minister N Rangasamy winning both constituencies he contested. The alliance’s victory continues the trend of incumbents retaining power in select regions.
Meanwhile, in Maharashtra, NCP leader and deputy chief minister Sunetra Pawar won the Baramati bypoll by a margin of 2,18,034 votes, setting what the party claims is a new national record for the highest victory margin in an Assembly election.
A Defining Political Moment
The 2026 Assembly election results have redrawn India’s political landscape, marked by the BJP’s expansion into new territories, the fall of established regional leaders, and continued volatility for the Congress.
With the exit of three chief ministers, the collapse of Left rule, and the emergence of new political players, the results underscore a significant realignment ahead of future electoral battles.
