West Bengal held the second phase of its assembly elections Wednesday, April 29, 2026, across 142 constituencies [3].
The vote represents a critical power struggle between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for control of the state.
Polling occurred from 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. [5] across eight districts in the southern belt. The Election Commission deployed about 41,000 polling stations [4] to facilitate the process. Officials said voters already in queue after the closing time were permitted to cast their ballots.
Voter turnout reached approximately 78.7% [2] across the 142 seats, though some reports listed the figure at 78.68% as of 3 p.m. [1]. The high participation underscores the intensity of the contest between Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee (TMC) and BJP candidate Suvendu Adhikari.
Incumbency remains a central theme as the TMC seeks to build upon its 2021 assembly poll victory, where it won 123 seats [7]. The BJP has positioned the election as a definitive challenge to the current administration.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed confidence in the BJP's trajectory. "We are on track to complete a hat-trick of wins in West Bengal," Modi said [8]. He also said he intends to return for the oath-taking ceremony on May 4 [9].
The day was not without disruption. Authorities detained two people following an electronic voting machine glitch in Bally [6]. Despite the incident, the majority of the southern belt's polling stations operated without major reported failures.
“"We are on track to complete a hat-trick of wins in West Bengal."”
The high voter turnout in the southern belt suggests a highly polarized electorate. With the TMC defending a strong 2021 mandate and the BJP aggressively targeting the state's administration, the result will determine whether West Bengal remains a TMC stronghold or shifts toward the BJP's national coalition.
