- Mamata Banerjee's 3 Ms slogan drove TMC's three consecutive West Bengal wins since 2011
- BJP leads with over 160 seats as TMC struggles post voter deletion under Special Intensive Revision
- Women voters were targeted by both TMC and BJP with welfare schemes and safety issues
Over 15 years ago, Mamata Banerjee broke 34 years of Left rule in West Bengal with the power of three Ms-- "Ma, Mati, Manush" (Mother, Soil, People). Since then, the slogan has been the cornerstone behind the Trinamool Congress's three consecutive victories in the state. But in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly Elections, the pitch seemed to have faltered with five other key Ms-- Muslim, Mahila (women), migrants, the Matua community, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s poll machinery-- threatening to challenge Mamata Banerjee's winning trail.
With counting underway in West Bengal, trends indicate the BJP was maintaining a comfortable lead with over 160 seats, well past the halfway mark of 148. The Trinamool, meanwhile, is struggling to cross the 100-mark in the first election after a record deletion of voters under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). FOLLOW LIVE UPDATES
The 5 Ms In Bengal
Mahila voters: The Mahila (women) voters have long formed the backbone of the TMC's electoral success. Over the past decade, Mamata Banerjee has kept this vote bank in her focus and introduced a slew of welfare schemes targeted at women, including the Lakshmir Bhandar direct cash transfer program and the Kanyashree scheme to support girls.
However, in 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP also centered its poll pitch around women-centric incentives and welfare schemes. The RG Kar Medical College rape and murder case also became a major issue in the polls, with the BJP targeting Trinamool over the safety of women. The saffron party also gave a ticket to the victim's mother from the Panihati seat.
Muslim Votes: Historically, West Bengal's 27 per cent Muslim population has also been an important factor in determining who came to power. In 2021, TMC won 75 seats of the 85 assembly seats where Muslims make up over 35 per cent of the population, largely driven by the consolidation of minority votes in its favour.
But in 2026, West Bengal's politically crucial districts of Malda, Murshidabad, and Uttar Dinajpur seem to have witnessed a possible shift. NDTV's ground reports showed there were growing concerns over development, voter list issues, and governance in these areas.
While TMC banked on welfare schemes, Congress also attempted a comeback. All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) was also seen as an emerging potential vote-cutter.
Migrants: The migrant voters were another unpredictable electoral factor in this election. Bengal witnessed the homecoming of thousands of migrant workers this election over fears of deletion of their names from the voters' list and also to remain legitimate residents. These voters likely made the Bengal elections more volatile.
Matua: The Matua community, the Schedule Caste group that constitutes 17 per cent of West Bengal's population, was the major vote bank that propelled the BJP into the main opposition space in the state. Their continued support would become a deciding factor in the BJP's victory this time.
The BJP's Machinery: This election, the BJP's election machinery centered on a mix of central and state leadership involvement, booth-level management, digital campaigning, and cadre expansion.
The ground involvement is seen as an important factor in the party's improved performance, as West Bengal has been traditionally a cadre-driven state (Left to TMC), and the BJP is trying to match or outdo TMC's grassroots network.
