The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) raced ahead in very early trends and was leading over the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in at least 10 seats at 8:40 am as Election Commission of India (ECI) began counting votes for the West Bengal assembly elections on Monday.
The counting of votes began at 8 am.
The BJP was ahead in 14 seats while the chief minister Mamata Banerjee-led TMC was leading in nine constituencies, according to data by analytics portal PValue. These, however, were very early trends, with possibilities of change. Track Bengal results real-time updates here
In an early setback for the TMC, Mamata Banerjee was trailing in Bhabanipur against BJP candidate and her ex-close aide Suvendu Adhikari.
Suvendu Adhikari, who is contesting from two seats, was ahead in Nandigram as well.
Bengal election results | Early trends at 8:45 am:
Alipurduars - Bharatiya Janata Party
Arambag - Bharatiya Janata Party
Asansol Dakshin - Bharatiya Janata Party
Asansol Uttar - All India Trinamool Congress
{{/usCountry}}Asansol Uttar - All India Trinamool Congress
{{/usCountry}}Balarampur - Bharatiya Janata Party
Ballygunge - All India Trinamool Congress
Beleghata - All India Trinamool Congress
Bhabanipur - Bharatiya Janata Party
Bhangar - All India Secular Front
Bhatpara - Bharatiya Janata Party
Chowrangee - All India Trinamool Congress
Dabgram-Fulbari - Bharatiya Janata Party
Dinhata - All India Trinamool Congress
Entally - All India Trinamool Congress
Falakata - Bharatiya Janata Party
Hingalganj - Bharatiya Janata Party
Jangipur - All India Trinamool Congress
Kamarhati - All India Trinamool Congress
Manbazar - Bharatiya Janata Party
Mangalkot - All India Trinamool Congress
Maniktala - All India Trinamool Congress
Mathabhanga - Bharatiya Janata Party
Mekliganj - All India Trinamool Congress
Mothabari - Indian National Congress
Nandigram - Bharatiya Janata Party
Pandabeswar - Bharatiya Janata Party
Purulia - Bharatiya Janata Party
Siliguri - Bharatiya Janata Party
Sitalkuchi - All India Trinamool Congress
Sonarpur - Dakshin Bharatiya Janata Party
Sreerampur - All India Trinamool Congress
Tufanganj - Bharatiya Janata Party
Voting for the West Bengal elections took place in two phases - on April 23 and April 29 - across all 294 seats. However, the counting is taking place for 293 seats due to the repoll ordered by the ECI in Falta.
While BJP was ahead over TMC in PValue figures, early leads' data by other media reports showed a neck-and-neck contest between the two main contenders.