Summary of this article
The BJP has established an early lead in 24 seats, significantly outstripping the TMC’s current lead in only 5 constituencies.
Suvendu Adhikari leads the crucial Nandigram seat by a 3,100-vote margin over TMC’s Pabitra Kar after the first round of counting.
Regional leads show BJP candidates ahead in Jhargram, Asansol Dakshin, and Monteswar, while the BGPM holds two seats in the Darjeeling hills.
Early counting trends for the West Bengal Assembly elections on Monday show the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) establishing a significant lead over the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC). According to data from the Election Commission website, the BJP is currently leading in 24 constituencies, while the TMC maintains a lead in five seats as the counting of votes continues across the state.
The Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM), an ally of the TMC, holds the lead in the hill constituencies of Kalimpong and Darjeeling. In Kalimpong, BGPM candidate Ruden Sada Lepcha is ahead of the BJP's Bharat Kumar Chetri by 457 votes.
A high-profile contest is unfolding in Nandigram, where regional television networks report that BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari is leading TMC’s Pabitra Kar by 3,100 votes following the first round of counting. Although the Election Commission has yet to publish official figures for this specific seat, Adhikari addressed the media in Kolkata regarding the initial data.
"Out of the 14 booths where votes were counted in Nandigram in the first round, there were five Muslim-dominated booths. Even in those booths, the TMC is struggling," Adhikari stated. He further asserted that the BJP would form the next government, claiming leads in 135 of the 293 seats currently being counted.
PTI reported that the BJP is seeing gains across several regions. In Jhargram, BJP candidate Lakshmi Kanta Sau leads TMC’s Mongal Saren by 976 votes. In the capital, Kolkata, the BJP’s Purnima Chakraborty holds a narrow 283-vote lead over TMC minister Shashi Panja. Further leads for the saffron party were noted in Monteswar, where Saikat Panja is ahead of the TMC’s Siddiqullah Chowdhury by 3,486 votes, and in Asansol Dakshin, where Agnimitra Paul leads by 6,271 votes.
Additional constituencies showing BJP leads include Dinhata, Gosaba, Baghmundi, Bankura, Durgapur Purba, Binpur, Nayagram, Rajganj, and Bhagwangola.
Despite the BJP's early momentum, the TMC retains leads in certain strongholds. According to PTI, TMC candidate Anisur Rahaman Bidesh is leading by 2,184 votes in Deganga. The ruling party also holds the lead in the Kasba and Entally seats in Kolkata, as well as Singur in Hooghly.
The counting process commenced at 8 am, beginning with postal ballots before moving to Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). This election serves as a pivotal test for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s pursuit of a fourth consecutive term. While the BJP has secured an early advantage, PTI reported that officials expect trends to shift as subsequent rounds of counting are finalised throughout the day.
(With inputs from PTI)
