West Benga Assembly Election 2026: Record Turnout in West Bengal's 1st Phase Voting: What Did Mamata Banerjee and Amit Shah Say? What Does It Signal for TMC and BJP?
West Bengal 1st Phase Voting: The first phase of voting for the West Bengal Assembly elections-2026 has concluded. Voters exercised their franchise across 152 seats spanning 16 districts. According to figures released by the Election Commission, West Bengal witnessed a voter turnout of 91.46 percent.
Mamata Banerjee Claims Victory for the TMC
Leaders from various political parties have also reacted to the high voter turnout, with each side laying claim to victory. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee stated that the voting patterns observed in the first phase of the Assembly elections indicate that the Trinamool Congress is already in a winning position. Speaking at a rally held in Kolkata, Mamata stated that after winning the elections, she would unite all opposition parties to achieve victory in Delhi (the central seat of power).
Mamata remarked, "Based on my understanding of the public mood—and considering the voting that has taken place so far—I can confidently say that we are already in a winning position." She added, "I have no interest in any post. I do not seek the chair of power. I simply desire the end of the BJP government in Delhi."
TMC is on its way out: Shah
Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has also asserted that the BJP will emerge victorious. Writing on 'X', he declared that the Sun has set on the TMC's era of corruption and hooliganism. In another post, the Home Minister stated that the sea of saffron witnessed at the Madhyamgram roadshow represents the collective outrage and demand for retribution against the atrocities committed against women in Bengal. The TMC is on its way out.
Separately, addressing a rally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that May 4th—the day of vote counting—would mark the end of the TMC's 15-year-old "syndicate system" and "Mahajungle Raj" (lawlessness) in Bengal. Speaking at a public gathering at Kakdwip Stadium in the Mathurapur Assembly constituency of South 24 Parganas district, PM Modi claimed that the high voter turnout in the state signals that the Trinamool Congress's (TMC) "rule of fear" is being decisively defeated by the BJP's promise of trust and assurance.
Who will actually benefit from bumper voting
However, the question is who will actually benefit from record turnout. It is often said that when a government has been in power for several decades, an increase in voting percentage can signal an impending change of power.
However, the exact opposite is also frequently observed. In high-profile and fiercely contested elections, a higher turnout of voters is sometimes seen favoring the ruling party. This factor, too, contributes to an increase in the overall voting percentage.
Furthermore, during the recent SIR process, lakhs of votes were struck off the electoral rolls in West Bengal; this reduction in the total voter base is also expected to contribute to the projected increase in the voting percentage.
One cannot predict—solely on the basis of this "bumper voting"—whether a change of government is inevitable or if Mamata Banerjee will return to power. In the previous Assembly elections, there was a 10 percent vote gap between the BJP and the TMC; in the subsequent Lok Sabha elections, this gap narrowed to 7 percent. The critical question now is whether or not the BJP is in a position to bridge this 7 percent gap.