BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari claimed he was leading by three times the votes as counting began for the West Bengal Assembly elections today.
This development is significant because Adhikari is the chief challenger to Mamata Banerjee in the Bhabanipur constituency of Kolkata. A victory or strong showing here would signal a shift in the political landscape of the region and a potential weakening of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) stronghold.
Adhikari said he is leading with three times the votes [1]. He attributed this early advantage to a split in Muslim votes and noted that there were cracks in voting [1]. These comments come during the high-stakes vote-counting phase of the 2026 elections.
The contest in Bhabanipur is part of a larger electoral battle. Phase two of the elections covered 142 seats [2] and saw over 1,400 candidates in the fray [2]. The competition between Adhikari and Banerjee has remained a focal point of the state's political tension.
"I am leading with 3x votes; Muslim votes have split, cracks in voting," Adhikari said [1].
“I am leading with 3x votes; Muslim votes have split, cracks in voting.”
Adhikari's claim focuses on the fragmentation of a traditionally consolidated voting bloc. If the Muslim vote has indeed split, it suggests a disruption in the TMC's core support base, which could influence the final seat tally across West Bengal and alter the power dynamic between the BJP and the ruling party.
