Which parties have come to power through the four State Assembly Elections in India? Who will hold the reins of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam, and West Bengal (as well as the Union Territory of Puducherry)?
While Tamil Nadu and West Bengal welcomed their incumbents back with good-to-excellent margins, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry followed an anti-incumbency route. Here is a quick overview of the standings of the final count in the five elections:
Assam
| Number of Seats | 126 |
| Voter Turnout | 84.72 percent |
| Key Parties/Alliances | Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), Indian National Congress (Congress), All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) |
| Key Results | BJP-AGP (86), Congress (26), AIUDF (13) + Others (1) |
| Winning Party/Alliance | BJP-AGP |
| Leader | Sarbananda Sonowal (Chief Ministerial Candidate) |
As predicted by exit polls, the BJP very quickly took charge in Assam, delivering a significant defeat to its state as well as national rivals, the Congress. This marks the end of the Congress’ three-term reign in Assam and the beginning of the BJP’s first-ever government in the North Eastern states of India (on its own majority).
Kerala
| Number of Seats | 140 |
| Voter Turnout | 77.35 percent |
| Key Parties/Alliances | Left Democratic Front (LDF), United Democratic Front (UDF), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) |
| Key Results | LDF (91), UDF (48), BJP (1) |
| Winning Party/Alliance | LDF – Led by the Communist Party of India – Marxist (CPI-M) |
| Leader | VS Achuthanandan |
All but one exit poll predicted a definite win by the Left in Kerala – and it turned out to be a sweep. The LDF took an early and clear lead in the Kerala elections, defeating the UDF (which is currently in power under Chief Minister Oommen Chandy). The BJP, which won 1 seat in parliament, did manage to secure a solid second place in some constituencies.
Tamil Nadu
| Number of Seats | 234 (Results in for 232) |
| Voter Turnout | 73.76 percent |
| Key Parties/Alliances | All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK); Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-Indian National Congress (Congress), Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK); Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP); Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK)-Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC)- People’s Welfare Front (PWF) |
| Key Results | AIADMK (134), DMK-Congress (98) |
| Winning Party/Alliance | AIADMK |
| Leader | J Jayalalithaa |
Polling was postponed in two constituencies in Tamil Nadu after the Election Commission uncovered illegal cash seizures by the two main contesting parties. The AIADMK, which is currently in power, took an early but small lead as counting began, on the back of two key exit polls which declared a defeat for the ruling party. It was a close tussle between the two main groups within Tamil Nadu—the DMK (who allied with the Congress, two Muslim Fronts and some smaller parties) and the AIADMK (who allied with some smaller parties)—before the latter settled into a comfortable lead. For the first time in three decades, the same party has come to power in the Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections for two consecutive terms.
Puducherry
| Number of Seats | 30 |
| Voter Turnout | 84.11 percent |
| Key Parties/Alliances | Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-Indian National Congress (Congress), All India NR Congress (AINRC) |
| Key Results | DMK-Congress (17), AINRC (8) + AIADMK (4) Others (1) |
| Winning Party/Alliance | DMK-Congress |
| Leader | Pending |
The AINRC which is currently in power lost office to the DMK-Congress alliance in Puducherry. The AIADMK, which won overall in Tamil Nadu, managed to grab four seats in Puducherry as well.
West Bengal
| Number of Seats | 294 |
| Voter Turnout | 78.25 percent |
| Key Parties/Alliances | All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), Left Front, Indian National Congress (Congress), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) |
| Key Results | AITC (211), Left Front (33), Congress (44), BJP (6) |
| Winning Party/Alliance | TMC |
| Leader | Mamata Banerjee |
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee (AITC), who ended the (over) three-decade rule of the Left Front when she came to power in 2011, is back in the office for a second consecutive term in a landslide victory. The BJP and its allies, however, managed a lead in 10 constituencies for a significant amount of time, before concluding with 6 seats.