With West Bengal Assembly election results set to be declared today, early trends from multiple television channels indicated that the opposition BJP was holding a slight edge over the ruling Trinamool Congress as counting of votes for the West Bengal assembly elections was underway in the state.
As reported by news agency PTI, the Election Commission is yet to release any official figures. Counting of postal ballots has begun, and early trends show a neck-and-neck fight between TMC and BJP.
According to reports, the TMC currently is leading in around 110 seats, while the BJP is ahead in 115 seats.
Officials said the counting of votes for the state`s 293 Assembly constituencies began at 8 am, with postal ballots taken up first in keeping with Election Commission norms. Counting of EVM votes commenced at 8.30 am, as per PTI.
The high-stakes election is being seen as a crucial test for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her party`s bid for a fourth consecutive term, amid a stiff challenge mounted by the BJP.
CPI(M) and Congress hoping for improvement
The CPI(M)-led Left Front and the Congress are also hoping to improve their tally after successive electoral setbacks.
Furthermore, political observers say the results will also be read as a barometer of the BJP`s ability to expand its footprint in eastern India, while a strong showing by the TMC would reinforce its dominance in the state.
Counting is expected to continue through the day, with clearer trends likely to emerge by afternoon.
NDA leads in Assam
Along with West Bengal, Assam assembly results are also set to be declared on Monday. As counting began for high-stakes elections across 823 constituencies in four states and one Union Territory, early trends from postal ballots showed the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ahead in Assam with leads in 25 seats, while the Congress-led alliance was ahead in seven constituencies.
Close contest between LDF and UDF in Keralam
In Keralam, a close contest is unfolding between the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF), with both sides inching past 50 leads each.
DMK takes the lead in Tamil Nadu
In Tamil Nadu, the DMK has taken an early lead over the AIADMK-led alliance, while in West Bengal, the pendulum has been consistently swinging in a close contest between the BJP and the TMC.