Counting of votes for West Bengal's 294 assembly seats is set to begin, with most exit polls indicating a potential shift in power. Projections suggest the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) could gain a significant lead, with estimates ranging from 140 to 192 seats. To form a government, a party needs to secure 148 seats in the assembly.
If these exit poll predictions hold, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress (TMC) faces the prospect of losing power after 15 years. The election has seen several high-stakes contests across the state, with attention particularly focused on a few pivotal constituencies.
Crucial Constituencies in Focus
Several seats are drawing intense scrutiny as results unfold, featuring prominent political figures and closely fought battles.
Bhabanipur
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is once again contesting from Bhabanipur, a seat the TMC has held since 2011. She previously won a bypoll here after her 2021 loss in Nandigram. This election, she faces a tough challenge from Suvendu Adhikari, a key BJP leader.
Nandigram
Nandigram remains a significant battleground. Suvendu Adhikari, who famously defeated Mamata Banerjee in this constituency in 2021, is contesting again. This time, he is pitted against the TMC's Pabitra Kar.
Kharagpur Sadar
Former BJP state chief Dilip Ghosh is contending for the Kharagpur Sadar seat against TMC's Pradip Sarkar. In the 2021 elections, BJP's Hiran Chatterjee secured a narrow victory over Sarkar in this constituency. Ghosh, a former MP, recently lost the Lok Sabha election from Bardhaman–Durgapur.
Baharampur
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, former West Bengal Congress chief, is involved in a three-way contest in Baharampur. He faces BJP's Subrata Maitra and Naru Gopal Mukherjee. Maitra had previously won this seat in 2021.
Mathabhanga
Nisith Pramanik, former MoS Home, is contesting from Mathabhanga, a seat the BJP wrested from TMC in 2021. His challengers include TMC's Sablu Barman and CPIM's Khagen Barman. In 2021, the BJP candidate secured nearly 53% of the votes here.
Asansol Dakshin
BJP's sitting MLA Agnimitra Paul is squaring off against TMC's Tapas Banerjee in Asansol Dakshin. Paul had defeated TMC's Saayoni Ghosh in 2021.
Kolkata Port
Firhad Hakim, a close aide of Mamata Banerjee and the current Kolkata Mayor, is defending his Kolkata Port seat, which he has held since 2011. He is up against BJP's Rakesh Singh and CPI (M)'s Faiyaz Ahmad Khan.
Rashbehari
Former Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta is in a direct contest with TMC's Debasish Kumar in Rashbehari. The TMC has maintained its stronghold on this seat for the past three decades. Dasgupta previously contested and lost the 2021 election from Tarakeswar.
Panihati
The BJP has fielded Ratna Debnath, the mother of a trainee doctor who was tragically murdered in Kolkata in 2024. She is challenging TMC's Tirthankar Ghosh for the Panihati seat, which the TMC has held since 2011. In 2021, the BJP candidate secured 35% of the votes here.
Sonarpur Dakshin
In Sonarpur Dakshin, BJP's Roopa Ganguly, a well-known former television actress, is contesting against TMC's Arundhuti Maitra, also an actress prominent in Bengali television. The TMC has held this seat since 2011.
The Stakes for West Bengal
The outcomes in these crucial constituencies will significantly determine the political landscape of West Bengal for the next term. As the vote counting progresses, the state and the nation await to see whether the exit poll predictions will translate into a new government or if the TMC can defy expectations once more.