India, May 4 -- Vote counting for the Assembly Elections 2026 is underway across five key regions-West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry-with early trends indicating significant political shifts.

Counting began at 8 am under tight security arrangements, with postal ballots being counted first, followed by multiple rounds of Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) counting. Election Commission of India is releasing real-time constituency-wise data throughout the day.

In West Bengal, the Bharatiya Janata Party has surged ahead in early trends, opening a significant lead over the ruling All India Trinamool Congress. This election is being closely watched as it could mark the BJP's first-ever government in the state.

The contest re...