West Bengal Lok Sabha Election 2024 Exit Poll: Mamata heads for defeat as BJP gains massively

West Bengal Lok Sabha Election Exit Poll Results 2024: In what could be a massive shift in the state's electoral politics, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may breach Mamata Banerjee's fortress and is likely to win 22 to 26 seats in West Bengal while the TMC may win 14 to 18 seats in the Lok Sabha Elections 2024. Congress may win 1 to 2 seats, according to India TV-CNX Exit Poll. There are 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state. The BJP had won 18 seats in the state in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. 

West Bengal Exit Poll prediction

Total Seats: 42

• BJP: 22-26
• TMC: 14-18
• Congress: 1-2
• Left Front: 00

Exit Poll prediction for West Bengal

West Bengal Lok Sabha Elections 2024

West Bengal is one of such states which witnessed a severe political battle in the run-up to Lok Sabha Elections 2024. The BJP has put in all its might in improving its tally this year. The party had won 18 Lok Sabha seats in 2019 from only 2 in 2014, thus marking its first impressive performance in the state. The TMC, however, is keen on sweeping all 42 seats in the state.

In this election, the TMC contested all 42 seats on its own, parting its ways from the Opposition’s I.N.D.I.A bloc. Congress and the Left are part of the bloc and fought in alliance with each other. Mamata Banerjee had refused to be a part of the alliance in the state as the seat-sharing talks with the Congress remained unfruitful.

Poll dates and voter turnout in West Bengal

West Bengal went to polls in all seven phases of the Lok Sabha Elections starting April 19 to June 1.

West Bengal has been witnessing a high voting percentage among all states/UTs going to polls this time. In the first phase of Lok Sabha polls, Bengal recorded a whopping 81.91 per cent polling. Three seats went to polls -- Alipurduar (79.76 per cent), Coochbehar (82.16 per cent), Jalpaiguri (83.66 per cent).

In the second phase of polling, the state recorded 76.58 per cent of voter turnout. Three seats went to polls -- Balurghat (79.09 per cent), Darjeeling (74.76 per cent), and Raiganj (76.18 per cent).

West Bengal witnessed a voter turnout of 77.53 per cent in the third phase. Four seats went to polls -- Janglpur (75.72 per cent), Maldaha Dakshin (76.69 per cent), Maldaha Uttar (76.03 per cent), and Murshidabad (81.52 per cent).

West Bengal recorded over 80 per cent turnout with 80.22 per cent of voters casting their vote in the fourth phase. Eight seats went to polls in the fourth phase -- Asansol (73.27 per cent), Baharampur (77.54 per cent), Bardhaman Purba (82.85 per cent), Bardhaman-durgapur (80.72 per cent), Birbhum (81.91 per cent), Bolpur (82.66 per cent), Krishnanagar (80.96 per cent), Ranaghat (81.87 per cent).

West Bengal recorded the highest voting percentage among the eight states/UTs going to polls in the fifth phase. West Bengal saw a turnout of 78.45 per cent. 7 seats went to polls in this phase -- Arambagh (82.62 per cent), Bangaon (81.04 per cent), Barrackpur (75.41 per cent), Hooghly (81.38 per cent), Howrah (71.73 per cent), Srerampur (76.44 per cent), Uluberia (79.78 per cent).

West Bengal topped among the 8 states/UTs that went to polls in the sixth phase. Bengal saw the voter turnout of 82.71 per cent. 8 seats in West Bengal went to polls in this phase -- Bankura (80.75 per cent), Bishnupur (85.91 per cent), Ghatal (82.17 per cent), Jhargram (83.47 per cent), Kanthi (84.77 per cent), Medinipur (81.56 per cent), Purulia (78.39 per cent), Tamluk (84.79 per cent).

Key political parties in West Bengal

The main political parties in the state are the Trinamool Congress (TMC), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and a coalition of the Left Front and Congress.

Key candidates in West Bengal

In various constituencies across the state, notable candidates include Abhishek Banerjee from Diamond Harbour for TMC, Mahua Moitra from Krishnanagar for TMC, Amrita Roy from Krishnanagar for BJP, and Abhijit Gangopadhyay from Tamluk for BJP. Additionally, Yusuf Pathan from Baharampur for TMC, Nirmal Kumar Saha from Baharampur for BJP, and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury from Baharampur for Congress are prominent. 

From Kolkata Uttar, Sudip Bandyopadhyay is representing TMC, Tapas Roy  from BJP, and Pradip Bhattacharya is from Congress. In Asansol, Shatrughan Sinha is a Congress candidate, while in Balurghat, Sukanta Majumdar is running for BJP, and Biplab Mitra is for TMC.

West Bengal Elections 2024: What happened in 2014 and 2019?

There are 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the TMC won 22 seats, while the BJP sprung a major surprise, winning 18 seats. The Congress won the remaining two seats. The BJP dramatically increased their seats from only two in 2014 to 18 in 2019.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) emerged victorious, securing victories in 34 seats, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) managed to win only 2 seats. The Indian National Congress won 4 seats, and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) secured victories in 2 seats.