VK News Today https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html Mumbai Indians IPL 2026 playoff qualification scenarios: Can MI still make it to the top-4? The Met Gala 2026: Nicole Kidman says daughter Sunday Rose has to ‘go to school tomorrow’ after fashion debut Pisces Horoscope Today, May 5, 2026: Spending stays reasonable if you keep emotions in check West Bengal elections: Lieutenant to conqueror – the rise and rise of Suvendu Adhikari defeated, dejected KOLKATA: The Kolkata fortress of Trinamool Congress was breached on Monday, leaving a trail of high-profile casualties that included party chief Mamata Banerjee.In a staggering reversal of 2021 – when it swept all 11 Kolkata seats – Trinamool was reduced to a mere five. The city’s southern suburbs voted for change, handing over its strongholds Jadavpur and Sonarpur to BJP. Kasba, however, remained loyal to the party.The scale of the collapse could be measured by the defeat of senior ministers who were considered architects of the party’s urban machinery. But Mamata’s defeat will rankle the most.Shashi Panja lost Shyampukur to RSS ideologue Purnima Chakraborty by a margin of 14,633. Election Results 2026Vijay’s TVK party emerges as formidable force in Tamil Nadu; all you need to know about its journeyWest Bengal election results: Mamata lags behind Suvendu Adhikari after 2nd round in BhabanipurTVK pushes DMK, AIADMK to margins; BJP may oust Mamata in Bengal, retain AssamSimilarly, influential power minister Aroop Biswas, a key organiser in south Kolkata, lost what was once a safe haven — Tollygunge. Actor Papia Adhikary drew the curtains on him.The administrative leadership of the city also faced a public trial. Atin Ghosh, deputy mayor of Kolkata, lost from the Belgachhia-Cossipore segment to BJP’s Ritesh Tiwari by 1651 votes. The rout extended to his mayor-in-council colleagues – Debasish Kumar from Rashbehari, who was defeated by Swapan Dasgupta of BJP, and Debabrata Majumdar from Jadavpur.Ratna Chatterjee, sitting MLA and former councillor, lost Behala West to oncologist Indranil Khan of BJP. The constituency had elected former education minister Partha Chatterjee for five terms since 2001. There were some face-saving victories for TMC though. Mayor Firhad Hakim secured Kolkata Port while veteran leader Sobhandeb Chatterjee won in Ballygunge. State minister Javed Ahmed Khan won for the fourth consecutive time in Kasba and party spokesperson Kunal Ghosh won in Beliaghata. Veteran politician Nayana Bandyopadhyay bagged Chowringhee and Sandipan Saha won from Entally.The BJP juggernaut rolled through Kashipur-Belgachhia, Shyampukur, Maniktala and Jorasanko, which had remained with Trinamool since the ‘Paribartan’ in 2011. In Jorasanko, BJP’s Vijay Ojha defeated Trinamool candidate Vijay Upadhyay by a margin of 5,797. In 2021, former Trinamool MLA Vivek Gupta had defeated BJP candidate Meena Devi Purohit by 12,743.Maniktala had been a TMC bastion since 2011 when Sadhan Pande won. After his death in 2024, wife Supti Pande had secured a victory. This time their dau-ghter, Shreya Pande lost to BJP’s Tapas Roy by 15,644 votes.On the outskirts, Bhangar was won by ISF’s Naushad Siddiqui, who defeated influential south Kolkata leader Saokat Molla of Trinamool. Veteran actor Rupa Ganguly defeated Lovely Maitra, MLA in Sonarpur South. In Sonarpur North, BJP’s Debasish Dhar was leading by over 11,000 over Trinamool MLA Firdousi Begum.Trinamool also lost its 15-year strongholds of Bidhannagar and Rajarhat Gopalpur. TMC, however, managed to retain Rajarhat New Town with Tapash Chatterjee winning by a narrow margin.Follow the latest election results 2026, live updates, winner lists, constituency-wise results, party-wise trends and full coverage for Tamil Nadu election results, West Bengal election results, Kerala election results, Assam election results and Puducherry election results results on Times of India.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosIndia Rejects Nepal’s Objection To Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Route Via Lipulekh PassNepal Objects To India-China Plan To Conduct Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Via LipulekhIndia-Linked LPG Tanker MT Sarv Shakti Heads To Visakhapatnam After Crossing HormuzPassenger Opens Emergency Exit Door On Air Arabia Flight While Taxiing At Chennai Airport, ArrestedAhead Of Counting, Gunmen Open Fire At BJP Leader’s House In Bengal’s Noapara‘I Am Also A Victim’: Vinesh Phogat Identifies As Complainant In Brij Bhushan Sexual Harassment CaseBJP MP Sandeep Pathak Claims ‘No Information’ On FIRs, Alleges Misuse Of State Machinery In PunjabIndian Startup Launches Mission Drishti, World’s First OptoSAR Satellite, Aboard SpaceX Falcon 9Diljit Dosanjh Confronts Khalistan Supporters at Calgary Concert, Explains KBC AppearanceDelhi Approves ₹48,000 Crore Metro Expansion Plan To Connect Outer Regions With City Core123PhotostoriesKaran Johar’s Met Gala debut is pure drama and deeply rooted in Indian artMorning affirmation at 5 am: This is what your mind needs to hearFrom Tomatoes to Beetroot: 7 red foods that protect our heart every dayKhatron Ke Khiladi 15 confirmed contestants list: Gaurav Khanna, Rubina Dilaik, Orry join Rohit Shetty showApple vs. Banana: Which has more nutrition and should be consumed daily and whySleeping late vs waking early: What your body prefers, the answer might surprise youKim Kardashian to Katy Perry: Worst Met Gala dresses ever that sparked major criticismWhy homemade khasta kachori becomes soft after a few hours: 4 halwai-approved smart tips to make them perfect at homeStruggling with a small home? These smart design tricks can make your 200 sq ft space feel twice as bigHissing to Rattling: 7 Sounds that snakes make and which one is the dangerous123Hot PicksBarrackpore election resultTiruchirappalli election resultMettupalayam election resultsEttumanoor election resultPerambur election resultBagnan election resultKazhakkoottam election resultTop TrendingWest Bengal Assembly Election ResultsAssam Assembly Election ResultsTamil Nadu Assembly Election ResultsKerala Assembly Election ResultsPuducherry Assembly Election ResultsBhabanipur election results 2026Mamata BanerjeeNEET 2026: Exam-day guideHPBose 12th ResultTVK Chief Vijay Making of Salil Arora: Tennis-ball grind behind ‘Bumrah no-look six’ and power-hitting blueprint ‘Raja Shivaji’ box office collection Day 4 (Marathi): Riteish Deshmukh starrer inches towards Rs 50 crore Why the Met Gala carpet turned green in 2026 | Aquarius Horoscope Today, May 5, 2026: Avoid discussing your finances with too many people 2026 Met Gala: Manish Malhotra creates history, puts an end to hidden labour with artisan credits on his ‘Mumbai’ cape at Met Gala 2026 TVK chief Vijay CHENNAI: TVK president C Joseph Vijay’s electoral debut was shaped by a tightly controlled campaign run by a close-knit core team, a targeted political strategy against the governing DMK, and a rapid expansion of support among minorities, Dalits and section of women voters.Key members of his circle, including N Anand, Aadhav Arjuna, K A Sengottaiyan, Arun Raj, C T R Nirmal Kumar and strategist John Arockiasamy, handled legal, organisational, digital and political operations through the campaign. This core team played a central role in steering TVK through multiple challenges including the Karur stampede, and repeated issues over campaign permissions and candidate selection.Anand, associated with Vijay since the Vijay Makkal Iyakkam days, managed internal coordination and kept the party structure intact after differences emerged over seat allocation. Election Results 2026Vijay’s TVK party emerges as formidable force in Tamil Nadu; all you need to know about its journeyWest Bengal election results: Mamata lags behind Suvendu Adhikari after 2nd round in BhabanipurTVK pushes DMK, AIADMK to margins; BJP may oust Mamata in Bengal, retain AssamArjuna handled technical and resource support, while he and CTR Nirmal Kumar led TVK’s digital campaign and coordinated legal efforts, including engaging advocates for the stampede case in Supreme Court. Sengottaiyan’s entry into the party in Nov revived organisational activity at a time when TVK’s campaign had slowed after the stampede.Strategist John Arockiasamy was the fulcrum of this inner circle. Sources said he played a major role in opposing, during internal discussions, an alliance with NDA after the ‘Jana Nayagan’ row.Vijay also maintained a consistent political line. He described DMK as his “political enemy”, while framing the election as a direct contest between M K Stalin and himself. He largely avoided targeting deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami or leaders of alliance parties. The approach helped TVK consolidate sections of anti-incumbency votes without fragmenting the anti-DMK electorate.The campaign also saw TVK expand beyond Vijay’s traditional fan base. The party attracted sections of minorities, fishermen and Dalit voters who had largely backed DMK and its allies in earlier elections. Minority votes appeared split in several constituencies. Vijay, himself a Christian, visited churches, temples and mosques during the campaign and projected himself as a leader for all communities. The secular messaging helped TVK distance itself from identity-based polarisation which has historically had limited acceptance in TN politics. TVK also made gains among women voters, a section that had largely shifted towards DMK after J Jayalalithaa’s death.Follow the latest election results 2026, live updates, winner lists, constituency-wise results, party-wise trends and full coverage for Tamil Nadu election results, West Bengal election results, Kerala election results, Assam election results and Puducherry election results results on Times of India.About the AuthorRam SundaramRam M Sundaram is an Assistant Editor at The Times of India, Chennai, where he covers commute, trial courts, and political affairs.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosIndia Rejects Nepal’s Objection To Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Route Via Lipulekh PassNepal Objects To India-China Plan To Conduct Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Via LipulekhIndia-Linked LPG Tanker MT Sarv Shakti Heads To Visakhapatnam After Crossing HormuzPassenger Opens Emergency Exit Door On Air Arabia Flight While Taxiing At Chennai Airport, ArrestedAhead Of Counting, Gunmen Open Fire At BJP Leader’s House In Bengal’s Noapara‘I Am Also A Victim’: Vinesh Phogat Identifies As Complainant In Brij Bhushan Sexual Harassment CaseBJP MP Sandeep Pathak Claims ‘No Information’ On FIRs, Alleges Misuse Of State Machinery In PunjabIndian Startup Launches Mission Drishti, World’s First OptoSAR Satellite, Aboard SpaceX Falcon 9Diljit Dosanjh Confronts Khalistan Supporters at Calgary Concert, Explains KBC AppearanceDelhi Approves ₹48,000 Crore Metro Expansion Plan To Connect Outer Regions With City Core123PhotostoriesFrom Tomatoes to Beetroot: 7 red foods that protect our heart every dayKhatron Ke Khiladi 15 confirmed contestants list: Gaurav Khanna, Rubina Dilaik, Orry join Rohit Shetty showApple vs. Banana: Which has more nutrition and should be consumed daily and whySleeping late vs waking early: What your body prefers, the answer might surprise youKim Kardashian to Katy Perry: Worst Met Gala dresses ever that sparked major criticismWhy homemade khasta kachori becomes soft after a few hours: 4 halwai-approved smart tips to make them perfect at homeStruggling with a small home? These smart design tricks can make your 200 sq ft space feel twice as bigHissing to Rattling: 7 Sounds that snakes make and which one is the dangerousRihanna to Princess Diana: Best Met Gala looks of all timeNot your usual Kolkata trip: 5 rare and unconventional experiences every traveller should try123Hot PicksBarrackpore election resultTiruchirappalli election resultMettupalayam election resultsEttumanoor election resultPerambur election resultBagnan election resultKazhakkoottam election resultTop TrendingWest Bengal Assembly Election ResultsAssam Assembly Election ResultsTamil Nadu Assembly Election ResultsKerala Assembly Election ResultsPuducherry Assembly Election ResultsBhabanipur election results 2026Mamata BanerjeeNEET 2026: Exam-day guideHPBose 12th ResultTVK Chief Vijay ‘Kara’ box office collections day 6: Dhanush and Mamitha Baiju’s film has strong overseas push; Touches Rs 38.70 crores Tamil Nadu assembly elections: How Joseph Vijay beat MK Stalin – five factors that spelt doom for DMK this time (Image/PTI) Delimited seats give saffron party a multiplier effectDelimitation proved the wild card in Assam’s first assembly poll since the boundaries of constituencies were redrawn in 2023, cutting the number of Muslim-majority seats from 35 to 22 to leave BJP’s two main rivals — Congress and AIUDF — fighting an existential battle against each other. Although the number of assembly seats remained unchanged at 126, delimitation altered the representation matrix, keeping the number of Muslim MLAs below 25 while making indigenous communities the decisive factor in 103 seats, up from 90. CM Himanta Biswa Sarma had been saying all along that delimitation would ensure indigenous communities held over 100 of the 126 seats at stake. The poll outcome delivered a bonus for BJP. Election Results 2026Vijay’s TVK party emerges as formidable force in Tamil Nadu; all you need to know about its journeyWest Bengal election results: Mamata lags behind Suvendu Adhikari after 2nd round in BhabanipurTVK pushes DMK, AIADMK to margins; BJP may oust Mamata in Bengal, retain AssamCongress improved its position within the shrunk Muslim-majority belt at the cost of perfume tycoon Badruddin Ajmal’s AIUDF. . The state’s new electoral geography had rocked the opposition’s balance even before the polls. Several sitting AIUDF legislators jumped ship, joining NDA constituent AGP to ensure they wouldn’t miss the bus in the scramble for fewer tickets than before. For BJP, this was a strategic fit, increasing NDA’s prospects in seats where the Muslim vote would be decisive. While the script didn’t exactly play out as planned, AIUDF ending up with just two seats was just what BJP would have wanted. The 2023 delimitation exercise not only reduced the weight of constituencies where Bengali-origin Muslim voters had long held sway but also expanded the number of seats reserved for STs from 16 to 19. SC seats increased by one to nine. The redrawn seats included Congress strongholds across lower, central and southern Assam with a high concentration of Muslim voters. Assam’s politics has long been shaped by illegal immigration from Bangladesh. . The Assam Accord of 1985, born out of a mass agitation, fixed March 25, 1971, as the cutoff for citizenship. But there have been allegations of continued illegal influx even after that. BJP has consistently argued that the state’s political trajectory should be determined by indigenous communities rather than migrantorigin Muslim populations. Voting patterns among minorities in the state were historically aligned with the party in govt until BJP formed its first ministry in 2016. That dynamic has shifted further after delimitation, with voters in the remaining Muslim-majority seats backing Congress amid concerns about whether their interests are safe under BJP.Follow the latest election results 2026, live updates, winner lists, constituency-wise results, party-wise trends and full coverage for Tamil Nadu election results, West Bengal election results, Kerala election results, Assam election results and Puducherry election results results on Times of India.About the AuthorKangkan KalitaKangkan Kalita is a reporter with The Times of India and covers issues on health, education, stories of human interest while keeping a close watch on political developments and student movements. Reporting on environment and forest related issues and concerns of the northeast interest him equally.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosIndia Rejects Nepal’s Objection To Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Route Via Lipulekh PassNepal Objects To India-China Plan To Conduct Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Via LipulekhIndia-Linked LPG Tanker MT Sarv Shakti Heads To Visakhapatnam After Crossing HormuzPassenger Opens Emergency Exit Door On Air Arabia Flight While Taxiing At Chennai Airport, ArrestedAhead Of Counting, Gunmen Open Fire At BJP Leader’s House In Bengal’s Noapara‘I Am Also A Victim’: Vinesh Phogat Identifies As Complainant In Brij Bhushan Sexual Harassment CaseBJP MP Sandeep Pathak Claims ‘No Information’ On FIRs, Alleges Misuse Of State Machinery In PunjabIndian Startup Launches Mission Drishti, World’s First OptoSAR Satellite, Aboard SpaceX Falcon 9Diljit Dosanjh Confronts Khalistan Supporters at Calgary Concert, Explains KBC AppearanceDelhi Approves ₹48,000 Crore Metro Expansion Plan To Connect Outer Regions With City Core123PhotostoriesKaran Johar’s Met Gala debut is pure drama and deeply rooted in Indian artMorning affirmation at 5 am: This is what your mind needs to hearFrom Tomatoes to Beetroot: 7 red foods that protect our heart every dayKhatron Ke Khiladi 15 confirmed contestants list: Gaurav Khanna, Rubina Dilaik, Orry join Rohit Shetty showApple vs. Banana: Which has more nutrition and should be consumed daily and whySleeping late vs waking early: What your body prefers, the answer might surprise youKim Kardashian to Katy Perry: Worst Met Gala dresses ever that sparked major criticismWhy homemade khasta kachori becomes soft after a few hours: 4 halwai-approved smart tips to make them perfect at homeStruggling with a small home? These smart design tricks can make your 200 sq ft space feel twice as bigHissing to Rattling: 7 Sounds that snakes make and which one is the dangerous123Hot PicksBarrackpore election resultTiruchirappalli election resultMettupalayam election resultsEttumanoor election resultPerambur election resultBagnan election resultKazhakkoottam election resultTop TrendingWest Bengal Assembly Election ResultsAssam Assembly Election ResultsTamil Nadu Assembly Election ResultsKerala Assembly Election ResultsPuducherry Assembly Election ResultsBhabanipur election results 2026Mamata BanerjeeNEET 2026: Exam-day guideHPBose 12th ResultTVK Chief Vijay ‘Patriot’ box office collections day 5: Mammootty’s film has steady hold despite mixed reviews; Rs 68.92 cr worldwide Capricorn Horoscope Today, May 5, 2026: If you’re in a committed relationship, use that charm at home too Puducherry election results: N Rangasamy’s charisma delivers fifth term . Throughout the campaign, Mamata Banerjee leaned on her 2021 playbook, asserting that she was the ‘sole candidate’ across all 294 seats. This time, however, the strategy that had fended off anti-incumbency backfired. Voters were not going to make the same mistake again.In a political earthquake that ended 15 years of Trinamool Congress dominance in Bengal, a powerful anti-incumbency wave swept BJP to a historic debut in the state. As counting for the assembly election drew to a close on Monday, the saffron surge dismantled Trinamool’s rural and urban strongholds alike – from border districts to the CM’s home turf of Bhabanipur in south Kolkata – signalling a deep-seated public exhaustion with what many voters described as “systemic misrule”.Election Results 2026Vijay’s TVK party emerges as formidable force in Tamil Nadu; all you need to know about its journeyWest Bengal election results: Mamata lags behind Suvendu Adhikari after 2nd round in BhabanipurTVK pushes DMK, AIADMK to margins; BJP may oust Mamata in Bengal, retain Assam.”Didi said she was the candidate everywhere, but when we looked at our broken roads and closed-down schools and the local netas demanding ‘cut-money’ for every house repair, we didn’t see her face. We saw the faces of local bullies,” said Animesh Mondal, a schoolteacher in North 24 Parganas, the suburban district adjoining Kolkata.”Trinamool simply could not consolidate its vote share,” said Zaad Mahmood, associate professor of political science at Presidency University. “BJP’s vote share increased significantly, but more importantly, TMC’s share dropped. We saw a crucial shift where the Muslim vote split, while a large portion of the majority Hindu vote consolidated in favour of BJP. It is, fundamentally, Trinamool’s own failure to hold its ground,” said Mahmood.Driving the anti-incumbency sentiment was a stagnant industrial landscape. Despite years of promises, the lack of private-sector investment has forced a generation of Bengali youth to seek work in states like Karnataka, Maharashtra, Delhi and Gujarat.Trinamool tried to mitigate this through a youth dole. Though there were lakhs of takers for the monthly stipend, the deeper resentment of not finding jobs in the state remained. “I don’t want Rs 1,500 to sit idle; I want a job that respects my degree,” said Subhamoy Das, 24, an engineering graduate from Hooghly who now works as a data-entry operator at Sealdah. “The dole was a reminder that the govt had no real plan for our future. They wanted to buy our silence, not build our careers.”Rampant corruption across party ranks also fuelled anger. From the school recruitment scam that saw thousands of eligible candidates protesting on the streets to the local-level “tolabazi” (extortion), the perception of a ‘mafia raj’ permeated the electorate. “A number of schools in my locality run without proper teachers. I am forced to enrol my child in a private school, despite meagre earnings. Who do you expect me to vote for?” asked Sunil Bhakat, a resident of rural Howrah.”We have struggled to survive, but local netas never shy away from flaunting their ill-gotten fortune,” said Anup Ghosh, a pharmacist from Serampore, Hooghly. “The development works never reached the last mile because the party cadre acted as a filter,” noted Sheikh Rahamatullah, a labour contractor from Murshidabad.Also Read | Assembly elections result: BJP is Bengal Janata’s Party, Vijay Divas in Tamil Nadu, Keralove for Congress”Even the middle class and upper middle class Muslim families are fed up. For years, we were treated as a loyal ‘vote bank’ to be secured with doles. We want quality education and infrastructure, not just an identity-based rhetoric that keeps us trapped in poverty,” he added.Political analysts observed that Mamata’s failure to address internal party rot proved fatal. Her insistence on overseeing every seat blinded her to the disconnect between her administration and the common citizen.”She overlooked the corruption in her own backyard for too long,” said Sunita Banerjee, a homemaker in south Kolkata. “While she was busy with national ambitions, the roads turned to craters and the transport system collapsed. Trinamool’s harping on ‘Bengal Asmita’ (Bengal’s self-respect) remained meaningless rhetoric without the job opportunities we were promised,” Milind Goswami, a tutor, said.Follow the latest election results 2026, live updates, winner lists, constituency-wise results, party-wise trends and full coverage for Tamil Nadu election results, West Bengal election results, Kerala election results, Assam election results and Puducherry election results results on Times of India.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosIndia Rejects Nepal’s Objection To Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Route Via Lipulekh PassNepal Objects To India-China Plan To Conduct Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Via LipulekhIndia-Linked LPG Tanker MT Sarv Shakti Heads To Visakhapatnam After Crossing HormuzPassenger Opens Emergency Exit Door On Air Arabia Flight While Taxiing At Chennai Airport, ArrestedAhead Of Counting, Gunmen Open Fire At BJP Leader’s House In Bengal’s Noapara‘I Am Also A Victim’: Vinesh Phogat Identifies As Complainant In Brij Bhushan Sexual Harassment CaseBJP MP Sandeep Pathak Claims ‘No Information’ On FIRs, Alleges Misuse Of State Machinery In PunjabIndian Startup Launches Mission Drishti, World’s First OptoSAR Satellite, Aboard SpaceX Falcon 9Diljit Dosanjh Confronts Khalistan Supporters at Calgary Concert, Explains KBC AppearanceDelhi Approves ₹48,000 Crore Metro Expansion Plan To Connect Outer Regions With City Core123PhotostoriesKaran Johar’s Met Gala debut is pure drama and deeply rooted in Indian artMorning affirmation at 5 am: This is what your mind needs to hearFrom Tomatoes to Beetroot: 7 red foods that protect our heart every dayKhatron Ke Khiladi 15 confirmed contestants list: Gaurav Khanna, Rubina Dilaik, Orry join Rohit Shetty showApple vs. Banana: Which has more nutrition and should be consumed daily and whySleeping late vs waking early: What your body prefers, the answer might surprise youKim Kardashian to Katy Perry: Worst Met Gala dresses ever that sparked major criticismWhy homemade khasta kachori becomes soft after a few hours: 4 halwai-approved smart tips to make them perfect at homeStruggling with a small home? These smart design tricks can make your 200 sq ft space feel twice as bigHissing to Rattling: 7 Sounds that snakes make and which one is the dangerous123Hot PicksBarrackpore election resultTiruchirappalli election resultMettupalayam election resultsEttumanoor election resultPerambur election resultBagnan election resultKazhakkoottam election resultTop TrendingWest Bengal Assembly Election ResultsAssam Assembly Election ResultsTamil Nadu Assembly Election ResultsKerala Assembly Election ResultsPuducherry Assembly Election ResultsBhabanipur election results 2026Mamata BanerjeeNEET 2026: Exam-day guideHPBose 12th ResultTVK Chief Vijay Karan Johar’s Met Gala debut is pure drama and deeply rooted in Indian art Assembly polls decoded: Beyond headlines and numbers – 10 trends behind the verdict Why were Louis Sammartino reaction videos struck? YouTuber Outdoor Boys move fuels LosPollosTV copyright fight and online outrage . Congress overcomes weak organisation with united frontThe Congress-led UDF swept back into govt in Kerala on Monday after a 10-year hiatus, riding a largerthan-expected anti-incumbency wave across the state against the Pinarayi Vijayan govt. UDF won 102 seats in the 140-member legislative assembly. The magnitude of the victory surprised even the winners. The major factor that contributed to the crushing of the LDF is considered to be public anger directed at what has been described by rivals as Pinarayi Vijayan’s “despotic” tendencies, especially LDF won the 2021 assembly election. At the same time, BJP achieved a breakthrough by winningthree seats. UDF displayed a clear edge over LDF in the 2025 local body elections, and this fanned hope in its cadres. Election Results 2026Vijay’s TVK party emerges as formidable force in Tamil Nadu; all you need to know about its journeyWest Bengal election results: Mamata lags behind Suvendu Adhikari after 2nd round in BhabanipurTVK pushes DMK, AIADMK to margins; BJP may oust Mamata in Bengal, retain AssamYet, LDF was able to build a narrative that created the impression that LDF and UDF were locked in a close contest. CPM tried to brand UDF as a den of extremist communal elements and pointed to Jamat-e-Islami and SDPI support of UDF as proof. . By doing this, Vijayan cosied up to majority community organisations leaders with an eye on the Hindu majority vote. But UDF’s resounding victory across regions rendered narratives around minority appeasement almost dead stock. Attempts to influence the Nair and Ezhava communities by placating the NSS and SNDP leaderships again proved futile. Congress, which has a very loose, and weak, organisational structure in Kerala, still won 63 seats, which means public support swayed in its favour across castes and communities. Congress had just 21 MLAs in the outgoing assembly.Also Read | Left with no govt: Kerala’s pendulum swings away from LDF after a decadeCPM was also humiliated by the victories of three former party functionaries — V Kunhikrishnan won as a UDFbacked Independent in Payyannur in Kannur, a red citadel; T K Govindan defeated CPM state secretary M V Govindan’s wife, P K Syamala, in Thaliparamba, Kannur; and former minister G Sudhakaran was victorious as a UDFsupported Independent in Ambalapuzha. . Other than CPI and RJD, which won eight and one seat each, respectively, none of the other seven LDF coalition partners won a seat this time. Most of the ministers in Pinarayi Vijayan’s cabinet also failed to be re-elected. UDF’s comeback was also made possible by several of its politicians. V D Satheesan led UDF from the front and even vowed he would go into political exile if UDF failed to win this election. He even said UDF would return to govt with 100 seats, his public remarks boosting morale within Congress’ weak organisational machine. UDF, in fact, worked as a single bloc: Indian Union Muslim League has won 22 seats and Kerala Congress seven, and none of its allies have drawn a blank. For BJP, Kerala 2026 was a much-awaited breakthrough. Party state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar wrested back Nemom from education minister V Sivankutty, former Union minister V Muraleedharan won Kazhakuttom after a tight fight with CPM veteran Kadakampally Surendran, and B B Gopakumar won a third seat for BJP in Chathannur, in Kollam district. The saffron party’s three victories means Chandrasekhar’s strategy of stressing development over politics throughout the campaign worked.Follow the latest election results 2026, live updates, winner lists, constituency-wise results, party-wise trends and full coverage for Tamil Nadu election results, West Bengal election results, Kerala election results, Assam election results and Puducherry election results results on Times of India.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosIndia Rejects Nepal’s Objection To Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Route Via Lipulekh PassNepal Objects To India-China Plan To Conduct Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Via LipulekhIndia-Linked LPG Tanker MT Sarv Shakti Heads To Visakhapatnam After Crossing HormuzPassenger Opens Emergency Exit Door On Air Arabia Flight While Taxiing At Chennai Airport, ArrestedAhead Of Counting, Gunmen Open Fire At BJP Leader’s House In Bengal’s Noapara‘I Am Also A Victim’: Vinesh Phogat Identifies As Complainant In Brij Bhushan Sexual Harassment CaseBJP MP Sandeep Pathak Claims ‘No Information’ On FIRs, Alleges Misuse Of State Machinery In PunjabIndian Startup Launches Mission Drishti, World’s First OptoSAR Satellite, Aboard SpaceX Falcon 9Diljit Dosanjh Confronts Khalistan Supporters at Calgary Concert, Explains KBC AppearanceDelhi Approves ₹48,000 Crore Metro Expansion Plan To Connect Outer Regions With City Core123PhotostoriesMorning affirmation at 5 am: This is what your mind needs to hearFrom Tomatoes to Beetroot: 7 red foods that protect our heart every dayKhatron Ke Khiladi 15 confirmed contestants list: Gaurav Khanna, Rubina Dilaik, Orry join Rohit Shetty showApple vs. Banana: Which has more nutrition and should be consumed daily and whySleeping late vs waking early: What your body prefers, the answer might surprise youKim Kardashian to Katy Perry: Worst Met Gala dresses ever that sparked major criticismWhy homemade khasta kachori becomes soft after a few hours: 4 halwai-approved smart tips to make them perfect at homeStruggling with a small home? These smart design tricks can make your 200 sq ft space feel twice as bigHissing to Rattling: 7 Sounds that snakes make and which one is the dangerousRihanna to Princess Diana: Best Met Gala looks of all time123Hot PicksBarrackpore election resultTiruchirappalli election resultMettupalayam election resultsEttumanoor election resultPerambur election resultBagnan election resultKazhakkoottam election resultTop TrendingWest Bengal Assembly Election ResultsAssam Assembly Election ResultsTamil Nadu Assembly Election ResultsKerala Assembly Election ResultsPuducherry Assembly Election ResultsBhabanipur election results 2026Mamata BanerjeeNEET 2026: Exam-day guideHPBose 12th ResultTVK Chief Vijay Met Gala 2026: Nicole Kidman brings daughter Sunday Rose to the Met Gala and it’s peak Chanel energy Sagittarius Horoscope Today, May 5, 2026: Lovers stay passionate, and you’ll enjoy each other’s company JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon wants companies to get rid of managers who do not … NEW DELHI: BJP’s stellar performance in West Bengal will give the party an advantage in the Upper House only after the next parliamentary polls as the earliest vacancies from the state would be reported in Aug 2029.Similarly in Tamil Nadu, the impact will be seen two years from now. The state assembly election results will help a new political entity enter the Upper House only in June, 2028 when the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) makes its debut by sending a minimum three of its members to Rajya Sabha at the cost of one member each from DMK, Congress and AIADMK.In any case, BJP’s overall MLA strength – which rose from 773 MLAs in Sept, 2013 to 1,798 in May, 2026 – will keep on increasing the party’s legislative footprint in the Upper House. Election Results 2026Vijay’s TVK party emerges as formidable force in Tamil Nadu; all you need to know about its journeyWest Bengal election results: Mamata lags behind Suvendu Adhikari after 2nd round in BhabanipurTVK pushes DMK, AIADMK to margins; BJP may oust Mamata in Bengal, retain AssamIt will eventually help NDA to reach two-third majority in Rajya Sabha if its winning streak is maintained in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Gujarat next year.On the other hand, Congress’s repeated losses in states will keep on decreasing its strength in the Upper House where the party’s tally currently stands at 29 against that of BJP at 113.Though Kerala’s results will make a dent to the Left parties’ number in the Upper House next year, it won’t affect the overall figures of INDIA bloc in Rajya Sabha as the Left’s loss would only give additional numbers to Congress.Similarly, All India NR Congress (AINRC)-led NDA victory in Puducherry will help NDA retain the lone seat from the Union territory when the vacancy arises there in Oct next year.Assam’s result also will not impact the Rajya Sabha math as much as BJP will continue to hold its ground with its repeat victory there.Follow the latest election results 2026, live updates, winner lists, constituency-wise results, party-wise trends and full coverage for Tamil Nadu election results, West Bengal election results, Kerala election results, Assam election results and Puducherry election results results on Times of India.About the AuthorVishwa MohanVishwa Mohan is Senior Editor at The Times of India. He writes on environment, climate change, agriculture, water resources and clean energy, tracking policy issues and climate diplomacy. He has been covering Parliament since 2003 to see how politics shaped up domestic policy and India’s position at global platform. Before switching over to explore sustainable development issues, Vishwa had covered internal security and investigative agencies for more than a decade.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosIndia Rejects Nepal’s Objection To Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Route Via Lipulekh PassNepal Objects To India-China Plan To Conduct Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Via LipulekhIndia-Linked LPG Tanker MT Sarv Shakti Heads To Visakhapatnam After Crossing HormuzPassenger Opens Emergency Exit Door On Air Arabia Flight While Taxiing At Chennai Airport, ArrestedAhead Of Counting, Gunmen Open Fire At BJP Leader’s House In Bengal’s Noapara‘I Am Also A Victim’: Vinesh Phogat Identifies As Complainant In Brij Bhushan Sexual Harassment CaseBJP MP Sandeep Pathak Claims ‘No Information’ On FIRs, Alleges Misuse Of State Machinery In PunjabIndian Startup Launches Mission Drishti, World’s First OptoSAR Satellite, Aboard SpaceX Falcon 9Diljit Dosanjh Confronts Khalistan Supporters at Calgary Concert, Explains KBC AppearanceDelhi Approves ₹48,000 Crore Metro Expansion Plan To Connect Outer Regions With City Core123PhotostoriesFrom Tomatoes to Beetroot: 7 red foods that protect our heart every dayKhatron Ke Khiladi 15 confirmed contestants list: Gaurav Khanna, Rubina Dilaik, Orry join Rohit Shetty showApple vs. Banana: Which has more nutrition and should be consumed daily and whySleeping late vs waking early: What your body prefers, the answer might surprise youKim Kardashian to Katy Perry: Worst Met Gala dresses ever that sparked major criticismWhy homemade khasta kachori becomes soft after a few hours: 4 halwai-approved smart tips to make them perfect at homeStruggling with a small home? These smart design tricks can make your 200 sq ft space feel twice as bigHissing to Rattling: 7 Sounds that snakes make and which one is the dangerousRihanna to Princess Diana: Best Met Gala looks of all timeNot your usual Kolkata trip: 5 rare and unconventional experiences every traveller should try123Hot PicksBarrackpore election resultTiruchirappalli election resultMettupalayam election resultsEttumanoor election resultPerambur election resultBagnan election resultKazhakkoottam election resultTop TrendingWest Bengal Assembly Election ResultsAssam Assembly Election ResultsTamil Nadu Assembly Election ResultsKerala Assembly Election ResultsPuducherry Assembly Election ResultsBhabanipur election results 2026Mamata BanerjeeNEET 2026: Exam-day guideHPBose 12th ResultTVK Chief Vijay Scorpio Horoscope Today, May 5, 2026: Even if the day stays busy, your heart feels lighter than usual Upset Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang to Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei: Get out of your ‘God complex’ and stop … . KOLKATA: : An uncharacteristic silence descended upon the otherwise bustling arteries of central and north Kolkata. As TV screens flashed saffron, signalling a historic and decisive victory for BJP, the chaos of Smith Lane, Dedar Baux Lane and Abdul Hamid Lane in central Kolkata was replaced by a watchful, heavy silence, report Zeeshan Javed & Krishnendu Bandyopadhyay. For the first time since Independence, Bengal’s Muslim community — roughly 27% of the state’s population — is grappling with a political reality where the party in office is one with whom the “trust factor” has historically been thin. In wards 29, 43 and 65, spanning Narkeldanga to Park Circus, the usual rhythm of life slowed to a crawl. At tea stalls, the clatter of cups was hushed as groups huddled around mobiles in a state of disbelief. “Naturally, it is not what we expected,” said Mohammad Khalid, a leather merchant. By afternoon, the despondency was palpable. The anxiety stems from a high-decibel campaign that many felt was polarising. However, voices of pragmatism emerged. The community now seems to be searching for a way to bridge the chasm with the new govt.Follow the latest election results 2026, live updates, winner lists, constituency-wise results, party-wise trends and full coverage for Tamil Nadu election results, West Bengal election results, Kerala election results, Assam election results and Puducherry election results results on Times of India.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosIndia Rejects Nepal’s Objection To Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Route Via Lipulekh PassNepal Objects To India-China Plan To Conduct Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Via LipulekhIndia-Linked LPG Tanker MT Sarv Shakti Heads To Visakhapatnam After Crossing HormuzPassenger Opens Emergency Exit Door On Air Arabia Flight While Taxiing At Chennai Airport, ArrestedAhead Of Counting, Gunmen Open Fire At BJP Leader’s House In Bengal’s Noapara‘I Am Also A Victim’: Vinesh Phogat Identifies As Complainant In Brij Bhushan Sexual Harassment CaseBJP MP Sandeep Pathak Claims ‘No Information’ On FIRs, Alleges Misuse Of State Machinery In PunjabIndian Startup Launches Mission Drishti, World’s First OptoSAR Satellite, Aboard SpaceX Falcon 9Diljit Dosanjh Confronts Khalistan Supporters at Calgary Concert, Explains KBC AppearanceDelhi Approves ₹48,000 Crore Metro Expansion Plan To Connect Outer Regions With City Core123PhotostoriesFrom Tomatoes to Beetroot: 7 red foods that protect our heart every dayKhatron Ke Khiladi 15 confirmed contestants list: Gaurav Khanna, Rubina Dilaik, Orry join Rohit Shetty showApple vs. Banana: Which has more nutrition and should be consumed daily and whySleeping late vs waking early: What your body prefers, the answer might surprise youKim Kardashian to Katy Perry: Worst Met Gala dresses ever that sparked major criticismWhy homemade khasta kachori becomes soft after a few hours: 4 halwai-approved smart tips to make them perfect at homeStruggling with a small home? These smart design tricks can make your 200 sq ft space feel twice as bigHissing to Rattling: 7 Sounds that snakes make and which one is the dangerousRihanna to Princess Diana: Best Met Gala looks of all timeNot your usual Kolkata trip: 5 rare and unconventional experiences every traveller should try123Hot PicksBarrackpore election resultTiruchirappalli election resultMettupalayam election resultsEttumanoor election resultPerambur election resultBagnan election resultKazhakkoottam election resultTop TrendingWest Bengal Assembly Election ResultsAssam Assembly Election ResultsTamil Nadu Assembly Election ResultsKerala Assembly Election ResultsPuducherry Assembly Election ResultsBhabanipur election results 2026Mamata BanerjeeNEET 2026: Exam-day guideHPBose 12th ResultTVK Chief Vijay 3 cheers in Assam, and more: BJP gets majority on its own for the first time Sunetra Pawar NEW DELHI: BJP-led NDA swept five assembly bypolls in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Nagaland and Tripura, while Congress won both seats in Karnataka. Maharashtra deputy CM and NCP chief Sunetra Pawar – wife of Ajit Pawar, who died in a plane crash on Jan 28 – won Baramati by 2,18,034 votes, securing 2,18,969 or 98% of the ballots. She set the record for highest assembly poll victory margin, surpassing 2.14 lakh of BJP’s Sunil Kumar Sharma in UP’s Sahibabad in 2022.BJP’s Akshay Shivajirao Kardile won in Rahuri by 1,12,587 votes.In Karnataka, Congress’s Umesh Meti won by more than 22,000 votes in Bagalkot, while Samarth Mallikarjun secured a narrow 5,708-vote win in Davanagere South. Fourteen Muslim candidates were in the fray, collectively polling 21,510 of 80,000 votes polled.In Gujarat’s Umreth, BJP’s Harshad Parmar won by over 30,000 votes.In the Northeast, BJP’s Jahar Chakraborty won from Dharmanagar in Tripura, while Daochier I Imchen won Koridang (Nagaland).Follow the latest election results 2026, live updates, winner lists, constituency-wise results, party-wise trends and full coverage for Tamil Nadu election results, West Bengal election results, Kerala election results, Assam election results and Puducherry election results results on Times of India.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosIndia Rejects Nepal’s Objection To Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Route Via Lipulekh PassNepal Objects To India-China Plan To Conduct Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Via LipulekhIndia-Linked LPG Tanker MT Sarv Shakti Heads To Visakhapatnam After Crossing HormuzPassenger Opens Emergency Exit Door On Air Arabia Flight While Taxiing At Chennai Airport, ArrestedAhead Of Counting, Gunmen Open Fire At BJP Leader’s House In Bengal’s Noapara‘I Am Also A Victim’: Vinesh Phogat Identifies As Complainant In Brij Bhushan Sexual Harassment CaseBJP MP Sandeep Pathak Claims ‘No Information’ On FIRs, Alleges Misuse Of State Machinery In PunjabIndian Startup Launches Mission Drishti, World’s First OptoSAR Satellite, Aboard SpaceX Falcon 9Diljit Dosanjh Confronts Khalistan Supporters at Calgary Concert, Explains KBC AppearanceDelhi Approves ₹48,000 Crore Metro Expansion Plan To Connect Outer Regions With City Core123PhotostoriesFrom Tomatoes to Beetroot: 7 red foods that protect our heart every dayKhatron Ke Khiladi 15 confirmed contestants list: Gaurav Khanna, Rubina Dilaik, Orry join Rohit Shetty showApple vs. Banana: Which has more nutrition and should be consumed daily and whySleeping late vs waking early: What your body prefers, the answer might surprise youKim Kardashian to Katy Perry: Worst Met Gala dresses ever that sparked major criticismWhy homemade khasta kachori becomes soft after a few hours: 4 halwai-approved smart tips to make them perfect at homeStruggling with a small home? These smart design tricks can make your 200 sq ft space feel twice as bigHissing to Rattling: 7 Sounds that snakes make and which one is the dangerousRihanna to Princess Diana: Best Met Gala looks of all timeNot your usual Kolkata trip: 5 rare and unconventional experiences every traveller should try123Hot PicksBarrackpore election resultTiruchirappalli election resultMettupalayam election resultsEttumanoor election resultPerambur election resultBagnan election resultKazhakkoottam election resultTop TrendingWest Bengal Assembly Election ResultsAssam Assembly Election ResultsTamil Nadu Assembly Election ResultsKerala Assembly Election ResultsPuducherry Assembly Election ResultsBhabanipur election results 2026Mamata BanerjeeNEET 2026: Exam-day guideHPBose 12th ResultTVK Chief Vijay Unlike Nayak, Anil Kapoor says he does not want to be Chief Minister for a day in real life: ‘As a citizen, I’ll do whatever I can’ Libra Horoscope Today, May 5, 2026: Avoid expecting sudden gains In 1799, soldiers fixing a wall found a slab that unlocked a language no one could speak West Bengal election results: ‘Poriborton hoye gechhe; let’s talk change, not revenge,’ says PM Modi File photo NEW DELHI: Bengal and Assam poll results have thrown up a challenge for the Muslim community, which has been pushed into a political whirlpool post-2014 by BJP’s ‘communal card’ to polarise the majority community, coupled with controversial measures like delimitation and SIR.BJP’s success in damping the largest minority community in Assam has followed the 2023 state-specific delimitation. By one estimate, the seats where Muslims held sway fell from 35/126 seats to 20. A similar measure in Jammu & Kashmir created seven new seats, which, according to the opposition, were ‘tailored’ to help BJP.While the opposition has dubbed it “legalised rigging”, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has openly asserted that he has done the delimitation to marginalise influence of the anti-BJP religious group. Election Results 2026Vijay’s TVK party emerges as formidable force in Tamil Nadu; all you need to know about its journeyWest Bengal election results: Mamata lags behind Suvendu Adhikari after 2nd round in BhabanipurTVK pushes DMK, AIADMK to margins; BJP may oust Mamata in Bengal, retain AssamAssam and J&K delimitations were flagged by every opposition MP during the recent debate in Parliament.In the storm kicked up by Election Commission’s SIR exercise, the big charge has revolved around ‘disenfranchisement’ of Muslims. The edge of the twin measures — SIR and delimitation — has been compounded by BJP’s belligerent campaign focussed on polarising Hindus.Also read| 3 cheers in Assam, and more: BJP gets majority on its own for the first timeWith sweeping verdicts in favour of BJP in Bengal and Assam where the minority population is above the national average and where communal outreach became the mobilisational theme, the governing party would be encouraged to step up on its winning formula.This could further test the community at the receiving end of BJP, as it will agitate secular parties who cater to voters across the religious divide. Often, such situations can lead to secular parties being outflanked from the right, throwing up outfits exclusively representing minorities, illustrated by AIMIM’s growth in Bihar’s ‘Seemanchal’ region. AIMIM has sought to play this card in many states, and it remains to be seen what the Hyderabad party does in UP in 2027.At the same time, the tricky situation can nudge BJP rivals to move towards diluting their overt secular positioning. A case in point is Assam, where 18 of 19 Congress winners may be Muslims. Such outcomes can rattle the best.Besides delimitation and SIR, the political chatter has been agog with what some may call a “conspiracy theory” — BJP’s attempts to strengthen its hand by dividing Muslim votes, like Humayun Kabir launching a new party with an emotive religious card.Such conundrum, and surprises, would solely be for the minorities and political rivals to grapple with, while BJP steps on the gas to consolidate the majority bloc.Follow the latest election results 2026, live updates, winner lists, constituency-wise results, party-wise trends and full coverage for Tamil Nadu election results, West Bengal election results, Kerala election results, Assam election results and Puducherry election results results on Times of India.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosIndia Rejects Nepal’s Objection To Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Route Via Lipulekh PassNepal Objects To India-China Plan To Conduct Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Via LipulekhIndia-Linked LPG Tanker MT Sarv Shakti Heads To Visakhapatnam After Crossing HormuzPassenger Opens Emergency Exit Door On Air Arabia Flight While Taxiing At Chennai Airport, ArrestedAhead Of Counting, Gunmen Open Fire At BJP Leader’s House In Bengal’s Noapara‘I Am Also A Victim’: Vinesh Phogat Identifies As Complainant In Brij Bhushan Sexual Harassment CaseBJP MP Sandeep Pathak Claims ‘No Information’ On FIRs, Alleges Misuse Of State Machinery In PunjabIndian Startup Launches Mission Drishti, World’s First OptoSAR Satellite, Aboard SpaceX Falcon 9Diljit Dosanjh Confronts Khalistan Supporters at Calgary Concert, Explains KBC AppearanceDelhi Approves ₹48,000 Crore Metro Expansion Plan To Connect Outer Regions With City Core123PhotostoriesFrom Tomatoes to Beetroot: 7 red foods that protect our heart every dayKhatron Ke Khiladi 15 confirmed contestants list: Gaurav Khanna, Rubina Dilaik, Orry join Rohit Shetty showApple vs. Banana: Which has more nutrition and should be consumed daily and whySleeping late vs waking early: What your body prefers, the answer might surprise youKim Kardashian to Katy Perry: Worst Met Gala dresses ever that sparked major criticismWhy homemade khasta kachori becomes soft after a few hours: 4 halwai-approved smart tips to make them perfect at homeStruggling with a small home? These smart design tricks can make your 200 sq ft space feel twice as bigHissing to Rattling: 7 Sounds that snakes make and which one is the dangerousRihanna to Princess Diana: Best Met Gala looks of all timeNot your usual Kolkata trip: 5 rare and unconventional experiences every traveller should try123Hot PicksBarrackpore election resultTiruchirappalli election resultMettupalayam election resultsEttumanoor election resultPerambur election resultBagnan election resultKazhakkoottam election resultTop TrendingWest Bengal Assembly Election ResultsAssam Assembly Election ResultsTamil Nadu Assembly Election ResultsKerala Assembly Election ResultsPuducherry Assembly Election ResultsBhabanipur election results 2026Mamata BanerjeeNEET 2026: Exam-day guideHPBose 12th ResultTVK Chief Vijay Leo Horoscope Today, May 5, 2026: Work may take a back seat because your mind is on home plans In 1998, a beachgoer spotted an upside-down tree in the sand, uncovering the ancient ritual secrets of Seahenge Left out: Kerala gone, Communists not in office in any state after almost 50 years 150-million-year-old soft tissue fossil discovery strengthens Darwin’s theory of evolution Mamata Banerjee KOLKATA: Voters have handed the reins of Bengal to BJP, effecting only the second regime change in the last 10 assembly polls and triggering a seismic shift whose aftershocks will be felt way beyond the state.The Trinamool Congress fortress fell to a twin onslaught of strong anti-incumbency and a voter roll cut by nearly 12% by the SIR process, ceding a historic win to BJP in a state often seen as the last frontier for a party that’s been in office at the Centre since 2014.BJP had won 206 seats and was leading in one, hogging 45.8% of votes. TMC’s vote share slipped from 48% in 2021 to 40.8%, with its 215 seats in the outgoing assembly down to 81 (wins and leads till midnight), indicating a sharp shift away from a party that championed Bengal nativism over nationalist politics.Election Results 2026Vijay’s TVK party emerges as formidable force in Tamil Nadu; all you need to know about its journeyWest Bengal election results: Mamata lags behind Suvendu Adhikari after 2nd round in BhabanipurTVK pushes DMK, AIADMK to margins; BJP may oust Mamata in Bengal, retain AssamJust a handful of TMC strongholds, such as South 24 Parganas, East Burdwan and Howrah, could stanch the vote haemorrhage as BJP swept large swathes of the state, from the north to the south. The saffron party’s dominance in the north was near total and, in the southwest districts of Jhargram, Purulia and East Midnapore, TMC was blanked out entirely.The killing blow was the saffron surge among urban and suburban voters in Kolkata and its fringes – Mamata’s southern fortress, where she held 123 of the 142 seats. That number shrank to 52 as TMC lost 10 seats in Kolkata (including Mamata’s own Bhabanipur), a large swathe of North 24 Parganas (including Panihati, where the raped and murdered R G Kar junior doctor’s mother was the BJP candidate) and Howrah.Follow the latest election results 2026, live updates, winner lists, constituency-wise results, party-wise trends and full coverage for Tamil Nadu election results, West Bengal election results, Kerala election results, Assam election results and Puducherry election results results on Times of India.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosIndia Rejects Nepal’s Objection To Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Route Via Lipulekh PassNepal Objects To India-China Plan To Conduct Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Via LipulekhIndia-Linked LPG Tanker MT Sarv Shakti Heads To Visakhapatnam After Crossing HormuzPassenger Opens Emergency Exit Door On Air Arabia Flight While Taxiing At Chennai Airport, ArrestedAhead Of Counting, Gunmen Open Fire At BJP Leader’s House In Bengal’s Noapara‘I Am Also A Victim’: Vinesh Phogat Identifies As Complainant In Brij Bhushan Sexual Harassment CaseBJP MP Sandeep Pathak Claims ‘No Information’ On FIRs, Alleges Misuse Of State Machinery In PunjabIndian Startup Launches Mission Drishti, World’s First OptoSAR Satellite, Aboard SpaceX Falcon 9Diljit Dosanjh Confronts Khalistan Supporters at Calgary Concert, Explains KBC AppearanceDelhi Approves ₹48,000 Crore Metro Expansion Plan To Connect Outer Regions With City Core123Hot PicksBarrackpore election resultTiruchirappalli election resultMettupalayam election resultsEttumanoor election resultPerambur election resultBagnan election resultKazhakkoottam election resultTop TrendingWest Bengal Assembly Election ResultsAssam Assembly Election ResultsTamil Nadu Assembly Election ResultsKerala Assembly Election ResultsPuducherry Assembly Election ResultsBhabanipur election results 2026Mamata BanerjeeNEET 2026: Exam-day guideHPBose 12th ResultTVK Chief Vijay Met Gala 2026 LIVE Updates: Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, Naomi Osaka and more stars bring ‘Fashion Is Art’ to the white carpet In the early 1900s, cavers in Western Australia found massive bones and unearthed Mammoth Cave, a lost world of giant fossils Gun scare near White House: Person shot by law enforcement at Washington Monument; lockdown briefly imposed “Bizzare attacks against me”: Candace Owens alleges Ben Shapiro lawsuits as Laura Loomer responds with strong criticism . NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Monday granted bail to Bharat Mathur, an executive associated with Reliance Industries Limited, in a bribery case linked to the DGCA, reports Koushiki Saha.Special Judge Chhavi Kapoor of the Rouse Avenue Courts noted that the 64-year-old accused had no prior criminal antecedents and had already spent 15 days in custody. “Accused is reported to be resident of Delhi since last 20 years, and appears to have deep roots in the society. He has undertaken to cooperate in the remaining investigation and make himself available for interrogation by the IO.”Noting no further recovery was pending, the court granted him bail on a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh. Judge Kapoor observed that although the bribe was admittedly paid to benefit the company the applicant was not an employee of Asteria Aerospace and claimed to have acted at the behest of Ankit Gupta, Associate Vice President of Regulatory Compliance.Follow the latest election results 2026, live updates, winner lists, constituency-wise results, party-wise trends and full coverage for Tamil Nadu election results, West Bengal election results, Kerala election results, Assam election results and Puducherry election results results on Times of India.About the AuthorKoushiki SahaKoushiki Saha, a trainee journalist currently reporting for The Times of India, covers urban governance, infrastructure lapses, public grievances, and municipal policies with clarity and compassion. Still learning every day, she draws insights from fieldwork, lived experiences, and holding authorities accountable through persistent, people-focused reporting.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosIndia Rejects Nepal’s Objection To Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Route Via Lipulekh PassNepal Objects To India-China Plan To Conduct Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Via LipulekhIndia-Linked LPG Tanker MT Sarv Shakti Heads To Visakhapatnam After Crossing HormuzPassenger Opens Emergency Exit Door On Air Arabia Flight While Taxiing At Chennai Airport, ArrestedAhead Of Counting, Gunmen Open Fire At BJP Leader’s House In Bengal’s Noapara‘I Am Also A Victim’: Vinesh Phogat Identifies As Complainant In Brij Bhushan Sexual Harassment CaseBJP MP Sandeep Pathak Claims ‘No Information’ On FIRs, Alleges Misuse Of State Machinery In PunjabIndian Startup Launches Mission Drishti, World’s First OptoSAR Satellite, Aboard SpaceX Falcon 9Diljit Dosanjh Confronts Khalistan Supporters at Calgary Concert, Explains KBC AppearanceDelhi Approves ₹48,000 Crore Metro Expansion Plan To Connect Outer Regions With City Core123PhotostoriesFrom Tomatoes to Beetroot: 7 red foods that protect our heart every dayKhatron Ke Khiladi 15 confirmed contestants list: Gaurav Khanna, Rubina Dilaik, Orry join Rohit Shetty showApple vs. Banana: Which has more nutrition and should be consumed daily and whySleeping late vs waking early: What your body prefers, the answer might surprise youKim Kardashian to Katy Perry: Worst Met Gala dresses ever that sparked major criticismWhy homemade khasta kachori becomes soft after a few hours: 4 halwai-approved smart tips to make them perfect at homeStruggling with a small home? These smart design tricks can make your 200 sq ft space feel twice as bigHissing to Rattling: 7 Sounds that snakes make and which one is the dangerousRihanna to Princess Diana: Best Met Gala looks of all timeNot your usual Kolkata trip: 5 rare and unconventional experiences every traveller should try123Hot PicksBarrackpore election resultTiruchirappalli election resultMettupalayam election resultsEttumanoor election resultPerambur election resultBagnan election resultKazhakkoottam election resultTop TrendingWest Bengal Assembly Election ResultsAssam Assembly Election ResultsTamil Nadu Assembly Election ResultsKerala Assembly Election ResultsPuducherry Assembly Election ResultsBhabanipur election results 2026Mamata BanerjeeNEET 2026: Exam-day guideHPBose 12th ResultTVK Chief Vijay Mukesh Khanna recalls fallout with Hera Pheri producer; praises Akshay Kumar’s dedication but says, ‘Maybe he’s upset with me’ Virgo Horoscope Today, May 5, 2026: Mars makes you impatient, and impatience spends money faster than need In 1968, Spencer Silver created a glue “failure” that later helped create one of the world’s most popular office tools Assembly elections result: BJP is Bengal Janata’s Party, Vijay Divas in Tamil Nadu, Keralove for Congress