Assembly Elections 2026 LIVE: BJP confident of Bengal win; EC releases final Tamil Nadu voter turnout

PI(M) state secretary M V Govindan on Sunday said the LDF would rewrite Kerala's political history by returning to power for a third consecutive term. He said the LDF had already created history in 2021 by retaining power for a second straight term and would set a new record by securing another majority when the results of the recent Assembly elections are declared on Monday, reports PTI.

IUML leader Panakkad Munavvar Ali Shihab Thangal on Sunday said the party would support whatever decision the Congress takes on the chief ministerial candidate, reiterating that this has been the UDF's established precedent. The Indian Union Muslim League is a key constituent of the Congress-led UDF, reports PTI.

Tamil Nadu election: Theni SP Bhukya Sneha Priya inspected the counting centre ahead of vote counting on May 4.

Buoyed by the exit poll projections, actor-turned-politician Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) remains confident that the party will form the next government in Tamil Nadu, where polling was held in a single phase on April 23. The party also ruled the possibility of a post-poll alliance with the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Click here to read more.

MP VK Sreekandan from Palakkad on Sunday said that party workers and the public would accept any Congress leader chosen as CM if the UDF comes to power in Kerala. Speaking to reporters amid ongoing discussions over the Congress's CM face ahead of the Assembly election results, Sreekandan said he would welcome any leader chosen by the party for the post, reports PTI.

Ahead of the counting of votes in West Bengal, TMC leader Sougata Roy said on Sunday that he hopes the assembly elections results will be positive for the party. He further said that high voting percentage of women is a good sign for the democracy in India.

""I am not a senior leader, I am a worker of the Trinamool Congress, a Member of Parliament for the Trinamool Congress. I am currently waiting for the counting of votes. I feel it will be good for us. Let's see. Does anyone say they are sure it will be good? What if it doesn't happen?" he told PTI.

BJP candidate Sankar Kumar Guchhait offered prayers at Mansa Devi temple in West Bengal's Midnapore ahead of counting day on May 4.  

BJP candidate Dr Sankar Ghosh from the Siliguri assembly constituency in West Bengal offered prayers at the Maa Kaali Temple in Siliguri ahead of the counting of votes on May 4.

The Election Commission of India has released the voter turnout figure of 4.8 crore for the April 23 Tamil Nadu assembly elections. A late Saturday night release from the Election Commission of India said that 4,87,98,833 votes were polled. Of these, 2,52,59,596 were female voters, and 2,35,34,720 were male voters, it said. Transgender voters accounted for 4,517. Accordingly, the total voter turnout stood at 85.10 per cent, reports news agency PTI.

The Election Commission on Saturday ordered repolling across all 285 polling stations in Falta Assembly Constituency in West Bengal, after severe electoral irregularities and subversion of the democratic process during the polling on April 29. The EC in an official statement said it had taken the decision after reviewing incidents reported from a “large number of polling stations” in the constituency. Click here to read more.

Security has been tightened outside the strongroom at Netaji Indoor Stadium ahead of vote counting for West Bengal assembly elections, which will take place on May 4.

BJP Telangana President N Ramchander Rao has claimed that the latest exit poll trends from West Bengal indicate a major political shift, suggesting that the ruling Trinamool Congress is on the verge of losing power in the state. He said that for the first time, the Bharatiya Janata Party is likely to come to power in Bengal, adding that the indications point towards a significant setback for the ruling party. Rao further alleged that TMC leaders are “frustrated and distressed” over the perceived outcome and are now raising questions against the Election Commission, EVMs, and the BJP.

The BJP has slammed the ruling TMC after a repolling was ordered in West Bengal's Falta. Speaking to reporters, BJP leader Dilip Ghosh said people of Falta haven't been able to vote for many years, and thus the Election Commission had already imposed strict measures there.

"Repolling will take place across the entire assembly constituency, and it should happen. This is a question of people's democratic rights, and the Election Commission has respected that," he said. 

Meanwhile, the police said that the situation was brought under control in West Bengal's Falta after locals staged a protest, alleging threats by TMC workers. An official told reporters on Friday: "The situation is peaceful, they have complaints. They are requested to go to the police station and file their complaints. Whatever complaints they have, legal action will be taken."

West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal said on Saturday that the repolling the Falta assembly seat was ordered based on the assessment of the poll which has taken place. He said the assessment was done by the State General Observer and the team there.

"The difference between other areas and Falta is - in Diamond Harbour, it (discrepancies) was found only in 4 places. In Magrahat, it was found in 11 places. But here, a large number of booths are there. That is why, EC has to take a decision based on the totality of the situation," he told reporters. 

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has ordered repolling in the Falta assembly constituency of West Bengal on May 21 after complaints of irregularities and protests by locals. The counting of votes will take place on May 24. 

According to ECI, they have issued these directives "on Consideration of severe electoral offences and subversion of the democratic process during the polling in a large number of polling stations on 29th April 2026 in 144-Falta Assembly Constituency, West Bengal." 

In the union territory (UT) of Puducherry, exit polls have predicted a likely return of the NDA to power for a second straight term. The NDA here includes the All India NR Congress and the BJP.

In Assam, the BJP-led NDA under Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's leadership is projected to return to power likely with a bigger mandate.

In Kerala, the contest largely remains between the ruling LDF and the Congress-led UDF. Here, exit polls have predicted a UDF's likely return to power.

In Tamil Nadu, exit polls have DMK's return to power. However, the entry of Vijay's TVK has changed the politics of the state, as many exit polls have projected that the party could emerge as kingmaker in the state.

West Bengal witnessed a neck-and-neck contest this year between the TMC and the BJP. The TMC is seeking a fourth straight term, but the BJP is looking to oust Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee from power.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) will declare the poll results for West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and the union territory (UT) of Puducherry on Monday (May 4). The counting of votes will start at 8 am.