BJP nears 200-mark in Bengal leads; Mamata urges workers to stay hopeful

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is inching towards the 200-mark in early leads in the West Bengal Assembly Elections 2026, maintaining a strong advantage over the ruling All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) as counting progresses.

As trends continued to favour the BJP, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee appealed to party workers not to lose hope, asserting, “We will win after sundown.” The TMC has raised concerns over alleged irregularities, with some leaders questioning EVM reliability and counting procedures.

By early afternoon, the BJP was leading in around 185 seats, while the TMC trailed with about 91 leads. The majority mark in the 293-seat Assembly is 148.

In key contests, Suvendu Adhikari narrowed the margin against Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur, reducing her lead significantly after multiple counting rounds.

Meanwhile, isolated incidents such as scuffles at counting centres and allegations of data delays surfaced, though election authorities maintained that the process remained largely smooth and peaceful.

With several rounds still to go, the final outcome remains open, even as the BJP edges closer to a potential historic victory in the state.