2026 West Bengal Legislative Assembly Election

The 2026 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election is expected to be held in April 2026 to elect all 294 members of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly.

The election will determine which party or coalition forms the next government in the Indian state of West Bengal for the next five-year term.

Background

The current assembly term is scheduled to end on 7 May 2026.

The previous election took place in March–April 2021, one of the most closely watched state elections in India. After the results were announced, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) secured a decisive victory.

The party won 215 out of 294 seats, allowing it to comfortably form the government.

Following the victory, Mamata Banerjee was sworn in again as the Chief Minister of West Bengal, marking her third consecutive term in office.

Political context

West Bengal has remained one of India's most politically competitive states. Over the years, the state's politics has seen strong contests mainly between:

• Trinamool Congress (TMC)
• Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
• Left Front (primarily CPI(M))
• Indian National Congress

The 2026 election is expected to once again attract national attention, as West Bengal is one of the largest and most politically influential states in India.

Key details

What is at stake

The upcoming election will decide:

• Which party forms the next state government
• The Chief Minister of West Bengal for the next five years
• The political direction of one of India’s most important states

Given the intense competition seen in previous elections, the 2026 West Bengal Assembly election is expected to be another high-profile political contest.