Elections 2026 live updates: ‘TVK is BJP’s B-team,’ says DMK candidate ahead of Tamil Nadu polls

The 2026 Assembly elections are underway across five key regions, with polling scheduled in phases on April 9, April 23, and April 29.

While voters in Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry have already cast their ballots, attention now turns to Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, where voting is set to take place later this month. The results for all five will be declared on May 4.

Phase 1 concludes with strong turnout

The first phase on April 9 saw robust voter participation across the three regions. Notably, female turnout surpassed male participation in both Assam and Kerala.

• Assam: Recorded a historic 85.38% turnout across 126 seats, with the BJP-led NDA aiming for a third straight term against a Congress-led alliance.
• Kerala: Logged 78.03% turnout, where the ruling LDF is seeking to retain power against the UDF and NDA.
• Puducherry: Saw a record 89.83% turnout for its 30-member assembly.

Focus shifts to West Bengal, Tamil Nadu

With Phase 1 complete, the political spotlight now shifts to upcoming contests:

• West Bengal: Voting for the 294-seat assembly will take place in two phases—April 23 (152 seats) and April 29 (142 seats)—amid a high-pitched contest between Narendra Modi and Mamata Banerjee.
• Tamil Nadu: All 234 seats will go to polls in a single phase on April 23, featuring the traditional DMK vs AIADMK battle, along with a new dynamic introduced by actor-turned-politician Vijay and his party.

The multi-phase electoral exercise will conclude with vote counting on May 4, determining the political future of all five assemblies.