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New Delhi: According to early trends, the Bharatiya Janata Party is leading in West Bengal. Even though these are early rounds, the saffron party is leading in 156 seats. BJP’s probable CM candidate Suvendu Adhikari attributed the party’s huge gains to a bifurcation in Muslim votes in South Bengal — a region deemed to be a bastion of the Trinamool Congress (TMC).

As per early trends, the BJP is not only strengthening its stronghold in North Bengal but is also performing strongly in South Bengal. The official website of Election Commission suggested that the BJP is leading on 32 seats while TMC is leading on 9 seats.

What Suvendu Adhikari said

Responding to a question on how a BJP candidate is leading in Muslim-dominated areas, Adhikari pointed out, “There has been a Muslim bifurcation. This bifurcation is particularly evident in Malda, Murshidabad, and North Dinajpur. In South Bengal and Cooch Behar, Muslims are still initially leaning more towards the TMC, but the kind of 90–95% consolidation seen in 2021 and 2024 is no longer there. There are visible cracks in that support base.”

What figures indicate

In the Jhargram constituency, EC figures show BJP candidate Lakshmi Kanta Sau leading by 976 votes. Sau has bagged 5,156 votes compared to the 4,180 votes secured by his nearest rival, Mongal Saren of the TMC.

Agnimitra Paul, BJP’s Asansol Dakshin candidate, was leading in her constituency, while the party’s nominee from Suri, journalist-turned-politician Jagannath Chattopadhyay, was also ahead of his TMC rival.

As counting gains momentum through the day, the CPI(M)-led Left Front and the Congress are also keeping tabs on the results, hoping to boost their tally after consecutive electoral setbacks.