New Delhi, May 4 -- Counting of votes for the 2026 Assembly elections in West Bengal, Assam, Keralam, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry is underway since 8 am today, with early trends throwing up a few major surprises.

Among the standout developments is the performance of actor-turned-politician Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), which has surged ahead in Tamil Nadu, putting it in the lead over both the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK).

In West Bengal, the ruling All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) led by Mamata Banerjee appears to be facing a strong challenge from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has taken an early lead in a majority of Constituencies.

Bengal remains the most...