After a fierce campaign, political parties are now bracing for the results of the 2024 General Elections. According to the latest report, the TMC is leading with 22 seats, while the BJP is trailing with 12 seats and the INC lagging with two seats in West Bengal.
West Bengal is a key political battleground as it will elect 42 members to the 18th Lok Sabha, with crucial focus areas including Dum Dum, Barasat, Basirhat, Jaynagar, Mathurapur, Diamond Harbour, Jadavpur, Kolkata Dakshin, and Kolkata Uttar constituencies. Other significant regions include Coochbehar, Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling, Raiganj, and Balurghat.
In the 2019 exit polls, forecasters predicted a close contest between the Modi-led BJP and the TMC, with the BJP expected to win 19 to 23 seats and the TMC 19 to 22 seats. Ultimately, the TMC won 22 seats, the BJP secured 18 seats, and the INC managed only 2 seats.
The 2024 exit polls, announced on June 1, project that the BJP will win between 21 and 30 seats. The ABP-CVoter poll forecasts 23 to 27 seats for the BJP, while the India Today-My Axis poll estimates 26 to 31 seats.
The polling period in West Bengal was marred by several incidents of violence. The TMC has accused the BJP, with the support of central forces, of instigating a campaign of fear to manipulate the elections. In contrast, the BJP has alleged that the violence was perpetrated by the TMC.
