The Election Commission on Sunday announced a two-phase polling for West Bengal, whereas polling in Assam will take place in a single phase. Bengal votes on April 23, April 29, whereas Assam votes on April 9. The poll outcome will be declared for both the states on May 4.
In these round of assembly polls (2026), the elections in West Bengal is the most keen watched and fiercely battled. While the trajectory of the outcome can be deduced to some extent in the other three states (Assam, Tamil Nadu and Kerala), and the Union territory of Puducherry, the events leading upto the polls in Bengal, particularly makes for a fascinating battle.
What battle 2026 is so crucial for Mamata Banerjee
In Bengal, Mamata Banerjee has led the Trinamool to a hat-trick of wins in recent years - the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha, and 2021 Assembly elections - over the BJP, but this could be her sternest test yet, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party enthused by dominant in Delhi and Bihar this year.
The Trinamool and other parties have pointed to the voter list revision as part of the BJP's newfound poll-winning game plan, alleging it deletes voters from marginalised and oppressed communities, who support the opposition, under the guise of 'ghuspathiyas', or 'infiltrators'.
Inside BJP's Bengal playbook
The BJP launched the 'Parivartan Yatra', a large-scale political outreach initiative, in West Bengal on Sunday, marking one of the party's most extensive mobilisation efforts ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections. The campaign aims to challenge what the party describes as more than a decade of "corrupt, undemocratic, and anti-people governance" under the Trinamool Congress (TMC).
The BJP has framed the Yatra as both a political campaign and a broader movement to restore democratic practices, address alleged administrative apathy, and confront issues of corruption, law and order, and alleged demographic imbalance in the state.
Can Congress regain some lost grounds?
The Congress party is preparing to regain some lost ground in West Bengal in the upcoming 2026 assembly elections. It is not an easy task given that the party was reduced to "zero" in the 2021 polls, for the first time since India's electoral debut in 1951-52.
As far as Assam is concerned, the Bharatiya Janata Party appears at its strongest under Himanta Biswa Sarma, with several important leaders from the Congress switching to the saffron party in the days leading upto the polls.
What is at stake for Himanta Sarma in Assam?
In the 2021 Assembly election in Assam, the BJP and its allies won 75 seats (BJP 60 seats) and polled around 45 per cent votes, while the INDIA bloc (Mahajot, as it is referred to in Assam) won 50 seats and polled around 41 per cent votes. It is important to note that while there was a big difference between the NDA and Mahajot in terms of seats, the vote share difference between the two alliances was around 4 per cent.
A minor change in the support base of the two alliances can upset the NDA’s calculations, although given the popular mood that may not be easy. The key to electoral success in Assam, besides popular support, is alliances: how various parties, but chiefly the Congress and the BJP, are able to form alliances with smaller regional parties that have pockets of support among the smaller tribes, castes, and communities.
The current political sentiments of the state signal another highly competitive contest against the Congress and former CM Tarun Gogoi's son, Gaurav Gogoi, in Assam. Infrastructure projects, connectivity, and more have been a focus of Sarma's government. Such projects strengthen the BJP’s pitch among urban and aspirational voters.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
Find the best of Al News in one place, specially curated for you every weekend.
Stay on top of the latest tech trends and biggest startup news.
