- By Aditya Jha
- Sat, 02 May 2026 01:26 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
West Bengal Assembly Election: The results for the much-hyped West Bengal Assembly election will be announced on May 4 after weeks of intensified campaigning. As per the pollsters, a neck-and-neck contest is expected between the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). While some of the exit poll agencies have given an edge to the BJP, most of them have not given a clear majority to any party, potentially leading to a hung assembly.
Hung Assembly In Bengal?
As per the poll of polls, no party in Bengal is expected to cross the magic number of 148 of the total 294 constituencies comfortably. While four of the exit polls predicted victory for the saffron party, two others assured that the TMC would return to power. Apart from this, Axis My India, a prominent agency, refused to release its exit poll, citing the silence of the voters. A hung assembly is declared if none of the parties or alliances cross the majority mark.
What Are The Next Steps?
As per the rules, the governor invites the single largest party to form its government in case of a hung assembly. The single largest party can explore the possibility of an alliance with smaller parties or independents. The TMC, for an example, could approach parties like Congress and AIMIM if it falls short of the majority line. The party is later required to prove its majority in the assembly through a floor test.
However, a temporary president's rule is imposed and fresh elections are conducted if all the parties fail to prove a majority.
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Will Congress Support TMC?
While Congress senior leader Rahul Gandhi was aggressive against the Mamata government in his rallies, the grand old party might extend its support, citing the opposition's unity. Mallikarjun Kharge stated that the party will wait until a clear picture emerges.