India State Elections 2026: Assam, Kerala & Puducherry Vote April 9 — West Bengal, Tamil Nadu April 23; Results May 4
India is entering its biggest state election season of 2026, covering 824 assembly seats across Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry — a key political test before the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. With voting beginning on April 9, PM Modi is campaigning hard in Kerala today.
Representative image. Photo: Nationalism News / PTI
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced a sweeping multi-phase election schedule for five legislative assemblies in April 2026. The states of Assam and Kerala, along with the Union Territory of Puducherry, will vote in a single phase on April 9. Tamil Nadu will go to the polls on April 23. West Bengal will vote in two phases — Phase 1 on April 23 covering 152 seats, and Phase 2 on April 29 covering the remaining 142 seats. The counting of votes and declaration of results for all five legislatures will take place on May 4, 2026.
The scale of the exercise is massive — approximately 17.4 crore voters will participate across more than 2.19 lakh polling stations. The Election Commission introduced the Model Code of Conduct immediately upon announcement, bringing political activity under strict oversight.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a mega election rally today in Thiruvala, Pathanamthitta district, making a direct pitch to Kerala voters. "This election is about development versus dynasty politics. The Congress-led UDF and the Left have both failed Kerala. The NDA will bring a new era of Vikas to God's Own Country," Modi declared to an enthusiastic crowd estimated at over one lakh people.
In West Bengal, the ruling Trinamool Congress under Mamata Banerjee is seeking a fourth consecutive term, while the BJP is fielding its strongest state-level campaign. Opinion polls have given TMC a slight edge in most districts, but urban constituencies remain highly competitive. Congress has also indicated it will go it alone in some constituencies rather than ceding ground to its INDIA bloc partners.
In Assam, the BJP under Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is defending its majority. The party is banking on its infrastructure record and aggressive anti-infiltration narrative. The opposition AIUDF-Congress alliance faces an uphill task in a state where the BJP has steadily strengthened since 2016.
Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK under M.K. Stalin is seeking a second term after its 2021 landslide. The AIADMK-BJP alliance is fighting back with an anti-incumbency argument. An opinion poll by Matrize-IANS this week predicted NDA making significant gains but falling short of a majority, while giving DMK a narrow lead.
For Kerala, the sitting Left Democratic Front government under Pinarayi Vijayan is fighting to retain power against the Congress-led United Democratic Front. The BJP's unprecedented campaign with PM Modi himself leading charge aims to win its first seats in the state legislature. The 2026 elections are seen as a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the saffron party in the south.
The 2026 state elections are widely regarded as a significant political bellwether ahead of the Lok Sabha elections of 2029. Both the BJP-led NDA and the Congress-led INDIA bloc are watching outcomes closely, as control of these five assemblies could reshape the political calculus for the national coalition landscape.