Kolkata / Chennai / Thiruvananthapuram / Guwahati, May 4: Early trends from the counting of votes across four states and one Union Territory are painting a dramatic and varied picture on Monday morning, with the Bharatiya Janata Party leading in West Bengal and Assam, a stunning deadlock emerging in Kerala, and the DMK-led alliance holding a narrow edge in Tamil Nadu.
In West Bengal, the BJP is leading in 29 seats against the TMC’s 20 in the early trends — a directional signal consistent with the exit poll consensus that projected a BJP majority, though it is far too early in the counting process to draw firm conclusions from postal ballot and initial EVM round trends across 293 constituencies. The early BJP lead, if it holds and widens through subsequent rounds, would put the party on course for its first-ever government in the state.
Kerala is producing the most dramatic early picture of the evening — the Left Democratic Front and the United Democratic Front are locked in a dead heat at 24 seats each in early trends, making the 140-seat assembly count too close to call at this stage. The neck-and-neck opening trends are consistent with the pre-poll and exit poll narrative of a close anti-incumbency contest, with the UDF hoping to end ten years of uninterrupted LDF rule and the Left fighting to achieve an unprecedented third consecutive term under Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
In Tamil Nadu, the DMK-led alliance is ahead with 11 seats against the NDA’s 9, with the newly formed TVK — the party of actor-politician Vijay — accounting for 2 seats in early trends. The Tamil Nadu contest is being watched closely as the first major electoral test for Vijay’s political vehicle since its formation, and the TVK’s early presence on the board will be seen as an encouraging opening signal for the debutant party.
In Assam, the NDA is leading comfortably with 21 seats against the Congress-led alliance’s 7 in early trends, broadly consistent with the P-MARQ exit poll projection of NDA winning 82-94 seats in the 126-member assembly. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s NDA appears on course for a third consecutive term if the early trend holds.
These are early trends based on initial rounds of counting and postal ballots, and are subject to significant change as subsequent EVM rounds are counted across all constituencies. The final picture will emerge over the course of the day.
This is a developing story.