Assembly election results 2026: Winners, losers and the upsets nobody saw coming
Five states voted. Five verdicts are in. The results have redrawn the political map in ways few pollsters predicted.
by Zee Media Bureau · Zee NewsFive states went to the polls, and the 2026 Assembly election results have delivered outcomes that few anticipated. From dramatic political upsets to historic first-time victories, the verdicts have significantly altered regional power dynamics. Established leaders have suffered major defeats, while new faces and parties have surged ahead, reshaping the political landscape across key states in India.
Five states voted. Five verdicts are in. The results have redrawn the political map in ways few pollsters predicted.
Top Winners
1. Vijay
Actor-turned-politician Vijay has pulled off one of the most remarkable debuts in Indian electoral history. His party, TVK, contesting all 234 seats in Tamil Nadu independently, has crossed the 120-seat mark. No alliances, no compromises. Vijay now holds the numbers to form a government and the decision on coalition partners, if any, rests entirely with him.
2. PM Modi and Amit Shah
In West Bengal, the BJP has ended Mamata Banerjee's 14-year grip on the state. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah oversaw a campaign that turned the tide decisively. State BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari attributed the win to the consolidation of Hindu and Adivasi voters, a coalition the party has spent years building in the state.
3. Himanta Biswa Sarma
In Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has led the BJP to a third consecutive term, with the party leading in over 90 seats. His campaign focused on illegal immigration and infrastructure development. It worked. Congress could not mount a credible challenge.
4. N Rangaswamy
In Puducherry, N Rangaswamy's AINRC-BJP alliance swept 21 of 30 seats, retaining power with a comfortable margin.
Losers
5. Mamata Banerjee
Mamata Banerjee's defeat marks the end of an era in Bengal. She ruled the state for over 14 years and built the TMC into a formidable machine. That machine has now stalled. Banerjee has refused to accept the trends and issued a statement contesting the results.
6. Stalin
In Tamil Nadu, MK Stalin's DMK has lost after a single term. Voters punished the party for unmet promises on welfare and infrastructure. The INDIA bloc's fragmentation across states compounded the damage.
7. Pinarayi Vijayan
In Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan's Left Democratic Front has suffered a heavy defeat, denied a third term. Graft allegations, student wing violence, and growing perceptions of authoritarian governance cost the party its support base. The UDF swept back to power. Vijayan appeared to read the writing on the wall early. The night before results, he removed "chief minister" from his social media profile.
8. Gaurav Gogoi
In Assam, Gaurav Gogoi led Congress into a contest it could not win. Key seats, including Jorhat, fell to the BJP.