Assembly Election 2026: Matrize-IANS Opinion poll predicts NDA's massive victory in Tamil Nadu

West Bengal BJP President Samik Bhattacharya told ANI "We welcome the decision of the Election Commission, and we are confident that the Election Commission will conduct the elections in a fearless atmosphere. But there will be no elections in West Bengal until SIR is completed; the Supreme Court and the Election Commission should also keep this in mind. The atmosphere seen in the last elections in West Bengal, where our workers were killed, should not happen again. We want violence-free elections." 

BJP Leader Ashok Kumar Bhattarai told ANI, "The BJP is fully prepared for the elections, with committees established at every level—from the panchayat to the state level. We are confident of victory because the people of Assam are satisfied with the development work carried out by the BJP government."  

Keralam Opinion Poll:

• LDF: 61-71
• UDF: 58-69
• BJP: 2
• Others: 0

Tamil Nadu Opinion Poll:

DMK: 104-114
NDA: 114-127
TVK: 6-12
Others: Zero 
 

BJP takes lead with over 95 seats, says Matrize-IANS opinion poll

The CPI on Sunday announced candidates in 25 constituencies for the Kerala Assembly elections to be held on April 9. CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam announced the candidates minutes after the Election Commission declared the poll schedule. The CPI is a key ally of the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF). The party has fielded four incumbent ministers-G R Anil, J Chinchurani, K Rajan and P Prasad-in the polls. The list also includes legislators who have completed two consecutive terms, including K Rajan, Mohammed Muhsin, ET Taison and VR Sunil Kumar. In Nattika, former MLA Geetha Gopi will contest in place of sitting MLA C C Mukundan. Kaipamangalam MLA E T Taison has been fielded from North Paravur, where he will take on Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan. Viswam welcomed the announcement of the election schedule and said the Left Democratic Front (LDF) would contest the polls unitedly. He, however, noted that campaigning during the peak summer would be a tough task and said the party does not have the financial resources to spend lavishly for a prolonged campaign.

The Aam Aadmi Party on Sunday announced its first list of 14 candidates, including its state vice-president Anurupa Dekaraja, for the Assam assembly elections to be held on April 9. All the constituencies included on the list are located in the Brahmaputra valley. Dekaraja will contest from the Guwahati Central seat and Renuka Timungpi from Bokajan. Among other candidates named on the list, issued by AAP state prabhari Rajesh Sarma, are Achyut Das (Naoboicha), Tapan Gogoi (Sivasagar), Zahidul Islam Khan (Chenga), Ranjeet Boro (Nadua), Pallav Saikia (Titabor) and Jinna Amir Hussain (East Goalpara). The AAP, which is yet to open its account in the Assam assembly, will be contesting the polls here without an alliance with any other opposition party. In the current 126-member assembly, the ruling BJP's strength is 64, while its allies AGP has nine MLAs, UPPL has seven, and the BPF has three members. In the opposition camp, the Congress has 26 MLAs, AIUDF has 15 members, and the CPI(M) has one legislator. There is one Independent MLA as well. The counting of votes will be on May 4.

West Bengal Opinion Poll:

TMC: 155-170
BJP: 100-115
AIMIM: 5-6
Others: 0-1
Congress: 00

Puducherry | Total Seats: 30 (AINRC + BJP + AIADMK | DMK + Congress + VCK)

• All India NR Congress (AINRC): 10 (25.85%)
• Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK): 6 (18.51%)
• Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP): 06 (13.66%)
• Indian National Congress (INC): 02 (15.71%)
• All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK): 00 (4.14%)
• Independents: 06 (12.68%)

Assam | Total Seats: 126 (BJP + AGP + UPPL | Congress + AIUDF + BPF + CPM + CPI)

• Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP): 60 (33.21%)
• Indian National Congress (INC): 29 (29.67%)
• All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF): 16 (9.29%)
• Asom Gana Parishad (AGP): 09 (7.91%)
• United People's Party Liberal (UPPL): 06 (3.39%)
• Bodoland People's Front (BPF): 04 (3.39%)
• Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM): 01 (0.84%)
• Independents: 01 (5.93%) 

• Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK): 133 (37.7%)
• All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK): 66 (33.29%)
• Indian National Congress (INC): 18 (4.27%)
• Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK): 5 (3.80%)
• Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP): 04 (2.62%)
• Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK): 04 (0.99%)
• Communist Party of India (CPI): 02 (1.09%)
• Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM): 02 (0.85%)
• Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM): 00 (2.62%)
• Amma Makkal Munnettra Kazagam (AMMK): 00 (2.35%)
• Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK): 00 (0.43%)

West Bengal | Total Seats: 294 (TMC + GJM-T | BJP + AJSU | CPM + Congress + ISF + AIFB + RSP + CPI)

• Trinamool Congress (TMC): 215 (48.02%)
• Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP): 77 (37.97%)
• Indian Secular Front (ISF): 01 (1.35%)
• Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM-T): 01 (0.27%)
• Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM): 00 (4.71%)
• Indian National Congress (INC): 00 (3.03%)
• All India Forward Bloc (AIFB): 00 (0.53%)
• Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP): 00 (0.21%)
• Communist Party of India (CPI): 00 (0.20%)

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said, "Bye-Elections will be held on 8 Assembly Constituencies in Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Nagaland and Tripura. The schedule would be that the assembly constituencies for Goa, Karnataka, Nagaland and Tripura will be held on the 9th of April and for the assembly constituencies of Gujarat and Maharashtra on the 23rd of April. The counting shall be on the 4th of May for all the cases."

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar says, "During the recent 12 months, the Election Commission of India has taken more than 30 new initiatives to ensure that elections are more transparent, the experience to the electors is much, much more pleasant, and all the stakeholders get all the necessary information as soon as possible. The first one of them has been the Special Intensive Revision, which ensures that no eligible voter shall be excluded, while at the same time no ineligible person should be included. Amongst the new initiatives, just outside the gate of the polling station, an elector can go, deposit his or her mobile, go and vote inside, come out and collect the mobile and go back. In order to identify the candidate to whom the elector wants to select, there shall be a coloured photograph of all the candidates on the EVMs. In order to ensure that there are no long queues, not more than 1,200 electors shall be at any polling station. The candidate booths can be set up just outside 100 meters of the polling station. And the voter information slip will have a clear number mentioning the voter's polling station, its number, and their part and serial number. Amongst the other new initiatives, one major initiative has been that all the applications of the Election Commission of India now are under  one app which is applicable on mobile, available on mobile, and it is called as ECI-NET.  All the necessary information across all the stakeholders is available, whether it is your epic card, whether it is your polling station, whether it is about the candidate, whether it is about the affidavits of the candidate, whether it is about the progress of polling which is taking place, or whether it is about counting..."

1. Assam- Date of Polling-  9th April; Date of Counting 4th May 

2. Tamil Nadu- Date of Polling- 23rd April; Date of Counting- 4th May

3. West Bengal- Date of Polling- 23rd April (1st phase), 29th April (2nd phase) ; Date of Counting- 4th May

4. Keralam- Date of Polling- 9th April; Date of Counting- 4th May.

5. Puducherry- Date of Polling- 9th April; Date of Counting- 4th May

Single-Phase Elections on April 9

Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry will hold assembly elections in a single phase on April 9, with vote counting scheduled for May 4 across all regions.

Later Single-Phase and Two-Phase Polls

Tamil Nadu gears up for voting in one phase on April 23, while West Bengal requires two phases on April 23 and April 29, followed by counting on May 4 for everyone.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said that as per the final list there would be roughly 2.7 crores electors in Keralam. 

CEC Gyanesh Kumar congratulated BLOs for doing good work during Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists. 

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said, "To give you a little overview of the electors, Assam as per the final list would be roughly 2.25 crores, Kerala 2.7 crores, Puducherry 9.44 lakhs, Tamil Nadu 5.67 crores, and West Bengal, the final list on 28th February comprises of 6.44 crores, and the learned judges, after their adjudication, whatever supplementary list comes, they shall be added."

Average number of electors per polling station is 750-900 across Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, said CEC Gyanesh Kumar.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said, "17.4 crore electors, roughly, also comprise the continent of Australia, France, South Africa, Germany and Canada. We will also see our guests from more than 20 countries from their electoral commissions who will be visiting these elections for witnessing the festive celebrations, the transparent and efficient celebrations of elections in India. The commission, along with lakhs of election officials and security personnel, is committed for ensuring free, fair, transparent, accessible and peaceful elections. Election Commission of India is also prepared to welcome each and every voter to their polling stations and provide them with a pleasant and comfortable voting experience. I would also like to make a special appeal to our youth and the first-time voters- my dear friends, you are about to step into one of the most important responsibilities of your life, exercising your democratic right, the right to vote. I urge you to participate enthusiastically in this great democratic exercise and cast your vote with pride, responsibility and confidence. Your vote is your choice in shaping the future of your state and the nation."

West Bengal to have assembly elections

17.4 crores to participate in elections (Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal).

Total polling station: 2.19 lakhs

Total Election officials - more than 25 lakhs

Total AC -824 . Bengal : 294

WB voters- 6 crore 44 lakhs

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said, "The Commission also facilitated the BLOs for doing an excellent work for the SIR. The Commission also interacted with the young and first-time voters, and our SWEEP icons, who are engaged in voter awareness activities. As all of you are aware, these five states and UTs represent distinct geographical and cultural landscapes of India. These elections represent not only a democratic exercise, but also  the cultural richness of India and truly reflect the unity and diversity of our nation."

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said, "Electors of Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. During the past few days, the Commission visited all the poll-bound states to review the preparedness for the ensuing  Assembly elections. During these elections, during these visits, the Commission met all the recognised political parties and received their suggestions. The Commission also met the district electoral officers,  the SPs, the IGs, the DIGs and nodal officers of all the enforcement agencies. The Commission also had meetings with the Chief Electoral Officers, Chief Secretaries and DGPs of the respective states and union territories."

The female voters are more than male voters in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry state. Only 9.44 lakh voters are there in Puducherry

Election Commission of India holds a press conference to announce the schedule for the 2026 General Elections to the Legislative Assemblies of Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) announces the poll schedules for assembly elections in Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Keralam and Puducherry during a press conference at 4:00 pm on March 15 (Sunday).