Election results Updates: Saffron wave in Bengal, Assam; Vijay’s TVK key player in TN, solitary win for Congress in Kerala

Suvendu Adhikari, who won from the Bhabanipur and Nandigram seats, collected his election certificate after securing victory in the polls.

The Trinamool Congress has alleged that its party office in Siliguri was set on fire in an attack.

As the United Democratic Front staged a historic comeback in Kerala by winning 100 seats, attention has shifted to the next Chief Ministerial face amid uncertainty over the post of Pinarayi Vijayan.

The Indian National Congress did not project a Chief Ministerial candidate before the polls, but speculation is growing around veteran leader Shashi Tharoor as a possible frontrunner. Other names in contention include KC Venugopal, VD Satheesan, and Ramesh Chennithala.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation has termed the assembly poll results in five states as “shocking outcomes,” alleging large-scale voter exclusion, electoral manipulation and central interference, particularly in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.

In a statement, the party said the results in Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry indicate a disturbing trend, noting the BJP’s gains in West Bengal and the rise of a new political force in Tamil Nadu as significant political shifts.

The Parliamentary Board of the Bharatiya Janata Party has appointed Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Nirmal Kumar Surana as central observers for the election of the Leader of the Legislative Party in Puducherry.

According to data from the Election Commission of India, party-wise results in Tamil Nadu show Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam(TVK) leading with 105 seats, followed by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam(DMK) with 59 seats and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam(AIADMK) with 46 seats.

Congress has won 5 seats, while the Pattali Makkal Katchi has secured 4 seats.

BJP candidate Lakshmi Kanta Sau said the Trinamool Congress is a “tainted party” that has “reaped the rewards of its corruption” following the election outcome in Jhargram.

She also referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s earlier visit to the constituency, where he had interacted with locals.

Amit Shah praised voters after Suvendu Adhikari of the Bharatiya Janata Party defeated Mamata Banerjee of the Trinamool Congress in the Bhabanipur seat.

In a post on X, Shah said, “Hats off to the people of Bhabanipur,” adding that the mandate clearly signals the “fate” awaiting what he termed an “anarchic ruler.”

Ratna Debnath has won from the Panihati seat, defeating Tithankar Ghosh of the Trinamool Congress by a margin of 28,836 votes.

Debnath’s daughter was a doctor at RG Kar Medical College, where she was raped and murdered in August 2024, an incident that triggered widespread political and public outrage over women’s safety in West Bengal under the TMC government.

Rajinikanth has congratulated Vijay on the resounding victory of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

R Sabarinathan, son of actor-politician Vijay’s long-time driver and aide Rajendran, has won from the Virugambakkam seat.

Contesting on a Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam ticket, he secured victory by 27,086 votes, according to the Election Commission of India. After receiving his certificate, Sabarinathan said he was grateful to Vijay and claimed the result marks a setback for the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

Akhil Gogoi, who is the president of the Raijor Dal, has emerged as the only prominent opposition leader to win in the Assam Assembly elections, according to the Election Commission of India.
He retained the Sibsagar seat for a second consecutive term, defeating Kushal Dowari of the Bharatiya Janata Party by 17,272 votes. Gogoi secured 86,521 votes against Dowari’s 69,249.

Edappadi K Palaniswami has conceded defeat in the Assembly elections, thanking voters for exercising their democratic rights and accepting the verdict.

In a statement, the AIADMK leader said he “wholeheartedly accepts” the decision of the people and expressed confidence that the party would soon recover from the setback.

N Rangasamy, leader of the All India NR Congress, has won from both Thattanchavady and Mangalam in the April 9 Assembly elections.
He defeated E Vinayagam by 4,441 votes in Thattanchavady and S S Rangan by 7,050 votes in Mangalam. Rangasamy had also contested from two seats in the 2021 elections and is now expected to vacate one of the constituencies.

K Annamalai, former Tamil Nadu BJP president, on Monday described the 2026 Assembly election results as a “generational shift” in the state’s political landscape, congratulating actor-politician Vijay and his party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam on what he called a “spectacular debut”.

In a post on X, Annamalai said the verdict reflected a strong public rejection of established political practices, adding that voters had spoken against vote-buying and dynastic politics.

Supporters of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam gathered in large numbers to celebrate the party’s victory in Tamil Nadu. Visuals from Jal Vihar showed crowds waving party flags and celebrating with music and enthusiasm.

The 16th Kerala Legislative Assembly will have 11 women MLAs, one fewer than the previous House, which had 12.

Most women legislators in the outgoing Assembly were from the Communist Party of India (Marxist), though CPI(M) legislator Kanathil Jameela passed away in November last year. This time, the CPI(M) will have only one woman MLA, OS Ambika, who won from Attingal by 13,375 votes.

The Communist Party of India will also have one woman MLA, compared to two earlier, with Geetha Gopi winning from Nattika by 7,093 votes.

The Indian National Congress, which swept the election, has the highest number of women MLAs in the new Assembly.

The National Democratic Alliance has secured a two-thirds majority in Assam, winning 101 seats in the 126-member Assembly.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, chief of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, has conceded defeat in the Tamil Nadu elections, saying he and his party “bow to and accept the verdict of the people” and congratulated the victors.

In a post on X, Stalin said his government had delivered good governance and implemented several welfare schemes over the past five years, seeking votes on the basis of its performance. He thanked the people of Tamil Nadu for supporting the DMK-led alliance.

He added that he governed for all citizens, regardless of how they voted, and reaffirmed his commitment to the party’s ideals. Stalin said the DMK would continue its political journey and now function as an “exemplary opposition party.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said women in the country are playing a key role in building a developed India, but alleged that the Indian National Congress and its allies attempted to block this progress by opposing the Nari Shakti Vandan Amendment in Parliament.

He added that parties opposing reservation for women have now faced the backlash of voters, claiming that women have “punished” the Congress, Trinamool Congress and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said there is no state in the country currently governed by a Communist party, calling it a significant shift in Indian politics.

He said the change reflects a broader transformation in public mindset, adding that people now seek opportunity, development, trust, progress and stability, and prefer a politics that moves the nation forward.

K Palaniswami, chief of the AIADMK, on Monday secured a record victory from the Edappadi seat, winning by a margin of 98,110 votes. He defeated independent candidate Premkumar K.

The Election Commission has so far declared 22 AIADMK candidates as winners, with the party currently leading in 26 seats.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that states along the Ganga River are now governed by the BJP and its allies, highlighting the party’s expanding footprint.

Recalling his remarks after the Bihar election results last year, he said the Ganga flows beyond Bihar to Gangasagar, and with the latest victory in West Bengal, the “lotus has bloomed from Gangotri to Gangasagar.” He added that Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and now West Bengal—states along the Ganga—are currently under BJP-led NDA governance.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a sharp attack on the Samajwadi Party, alleging that it had obstructed the women’s reservation bill in Parliament and would face political consequences in Uttar Pradesh.

He said the party would face the “wrath” of women voters in the state, adding that the Samajwadi Party would not be able to wash away its “anti-women” stance.

Addressing BJP workers at the party headquarters in New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said there should be a focus on change rather than revenge, urging an end to the “endless cycle of violence” once and for all.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the prosperity of every family in Puducherry remains the government’s priority, adding that its guiding mantra is “Nagarika Devo Bhava”.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recalled his 2013 nomination as the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate, saying that when he went to Kashi to file his papers, “a voice naturally rose from my heart” and he had said, “I have not come here on my own… Maa Ganga has called me.”

Modi added that the BJP has now also been blessed by the Brahmaputra River and Maa Kamakhya, as the people of Assam have once again backed the party. He said the mandate marks the third consecutive term for the BJP-led NDA in the state, calling it a “hat-trick” of public trust.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised BJP president Nitin Nabin, saying his guidance to party workers played a key role in the election victories.

He noted that these were the first Assembly elections held since Nabin took charge as party chief.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said “the lotus has bloomed everywhere” as he addressed party workers at the BJP headquarters in Delhi.

He said the mandate reflects widespread support from across the country.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the election results mark a “victory for democracy” and the Constitution, highlighting them as core to India’s values.

He also praised the 93 percent voter turnout in the West Bengal Assembly elections, calling it a strong sign of public participation.