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Polls for West Bengal 2026 show TMC leading BJP in vote share and seats, Mamata Banerjee remains top CM choice, unemployment and law and order are key voter concerns
C-VOTER Poll Shows Tight Bengal Contest, TMC Ahead of BJP. (Image: PTI)
The West Bengal Assembly Election 2026 is set to shape the state’s political future, with a key question: will the ruling party hold on, or is change coming?
The recently conducted C-Voter survey offers a snapshot of the mood ahead of the West Bengal Assembly Election 2026. The poll shows a close fight, with the All India Trinamool Congress at 44% and the Bharatiya Janata Party at 40%.
A separate VoteVibe opinion poll, conducted by CNN-News18, also suggests the TMC is on track for a fourth straight term. Led by Mamata Banerjee, the party is projected to win between 184 and 194 seats in the 294-member Assembly. The BJP is estimated to secure 98 to 108 seats, with smaller parties expected to play a limited role.
Mamata factor
Mamata Banerjee continues to be central to the party’s strength. Around 48.5% of respondents named her as their preferred Chief Minister. BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari trailed with 33.4% support.
The poll places the TMC ahead in vote share, with 41.9% backing the ruling party and 34.9% supporting the BJP. About 36.5% of respondents said they are willing to vote again for sitting TMC MLAs.
However, public opinion on the TMC government’s performance is divided. Around 43.3% rated it as “good” or “very good”. However, more than a third expressed dissatisfaction, with 20.6% calling it “very poor” and 18.3% “poor”.
Views vary across groups. Muslim respondents were the most positive, with 44.2% rating governance as “very good”. In contrast, upper-caste Hindu voters and Scheduled Tribes were more critical, with 26.6% in both groups calling it “very poor”. Across regions and age groups, dissatisfaction levels remained broadly similar.
Key issues for voters
Unemployment is the biggest concern, cited by 37.2% of respondents. Law and order, including women’s safety, comes next at 15.9%, influenced by the RG Kar Medical College incident. Price rise (10.5%) and corruption (10.3%) are also major issues.
Muslim respondents were less likely to highlight unemployment but showed the highest concern over SIR-related matters.
Challenges before BJP
The poll points to internal issues within the BJP. About 19.9% of respondents cited infighting and factionalism as its biggest weakness. A lack of a strong state leader (17.2%) and concerns about understanding Bengal’s culture (12.5%) were also noted. Organisational gaps and messaging issues were mentioned as further challenges.
Around 22.5% of respondents said they were unsure about the BJP’s shortcomings.
In the 2021 Assembly elections, the TMC returned to power for a third consecutive term, winning 220 seats, with Mamata Banerjee becoming Chief Minister again.
While opinion polls reflect only current trends, the findings suggest that the TMC enters the 2026 election with an advantage, though the contest remains close.
April 08, 2026, 1:16 PM IST
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