Amid the ongoing counting of votes for the assembly elections 2026 on Monday (May 4), the focus is not only on who forms the next government but also on where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continues to fall short. For the party, the outcome is as much about expanding its geographical footprint as it is about retaining power in existing strongholds. Votes are being counted for 824 seats across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry. Postal ballots are being taken up first, followed by Electronic Voting Machine rounds, with early trends expected within hours and final results likely by the evening.&nbsp;The Election Commission of India has placed strong rooms under tight security, with results to be declared after round-wise verification. Together, these regions account for nearly 174 million voters, roughly 18 per cent of India’s electorate.<h2>States the BJP has not cracked</h2>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/assam-assembly-elections-result-2026-14-years-in-congress-rise-in-bjp-will-himanta-biswa-sarma-return-as-cm-1777872562287">Assam Assembly Elections Result 2026: 14 Years in Congress, rise in BJP - Will Himanta Biswa Sarma return as CM?</a>&nbsp;Despite its dominance at the national level, the BJP has never formed a government in three major states that are voting in this cycle. In West Bengal, governed by Mamata Banerjee and the All India Trinamool Congress since 2011, the BJP has emerged as the principal challenger in recent years but has not managed to secure a majority, except this time, when the BJP is clearly being seen to debut in the state.&nbsp;Kerala remains a tough terrain for the party, with politics historically alternating between the Left Democratic Front and the United Democratic Front, leaving limited space for a third force. Tamil Nadu presents a different challenge, where Dravidian parties such as the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam have dominated the political landscape for decades. The BJP has largely remained a marginal player, often contesting as a junior ally.&nbsp;Beyond these states, the party has also struggled to independently form governments in Telangana and in parts of the Northeast such as Mizoram, where regional parties continue to hold sway.<h2>Why May 4 matters</h2>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/west-bengal-assembly-elections-result-2026-people-have-rejected-mamata-banerjee-bjp-s-state-prez-claims-india-is-becoming-modimay-1777868720676">West Bengal Assembly Elections Result 2026: ‘People have rejected Mamata Banerjee’? BJP’s state prez claims India is becoming ‘Modimay’</a>&nbsp;This round of elections is being seen as a test of whether the BJP can make inroads into these long-standing political strongholds. In West Bengal, the party has invested heavily over the past decade to position itself as the main challenger to the Trinamool Congress. While it has expanded significantly across eastern and northeastern India, including a major breakthrough in Odisha last year, West Bengal remains one of the last large eastern states where it has not formed a government, yet.&nbsp;In Kerala, even a marginal increase in vote share or seats could indicate a shift in a state long defined by bipolar politics. Tamil Nadu, meanwhile, poses a structural challenge shaped by regional identity, language politics and social justice movements. The BJP is contesting as part of an alliance but is also seeking to expand its independent presence.&nbsp;The contrast is evident in Assam, where the BJP has been in power for a decade, and in Puducherry, where it is part of the ruling alliance. These states will test whether the party can retain its base even as it seeks to expand elsewhere.

As vote counting proceeds for 824 seats across five regions, the BJP seeks to retain Assam while attempting a historic breakthrough in West Bengal, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu’s resistant political landscapes.

Amid the ongoing counting of votes for the assembly elections 2026 on Monday (May 4), the focus is not only on who forms the next government but also on where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continues to fall short. For the party, the outcome is as much about expanding its geographical footprint as it is about retaining power in existing strongholds. Votes are being counted for 824 seats across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry. Postal ballots are being taken up first, followed by Electronic Voting Machine rounds, with early trends expected within hours and final results likely by the evening. The Election Commission of India has placed strong rooms under tight security, with results to be declared after round-wise verification. Together, these regions account for nearly 174 million voters, roughly 18 per cent of India’s electorate. States the BJP has not cracked Also read: Assam Assembly Elections Result 2026: 14 Years in Congress, rise in BJP - Will Himanta Biswa Sarma return as CM? Despite its dominance at the national level, the BJP has never formed a government in three major states that are voting in this cycle. In West Bengal, governed by Mamata Banerjee and the All India Trinamool Congress since 2011, the BJP has emerged as the principal challenger in recent years but has not managed to secure a majority, except this time, when the BJP is clearly being seen to debut in the state. Kerala remains a tough terrain for the party, with politics historically alternating between the Left Democratic Front and the United Democratic Front, leaving limited space for a third force. Tamil Nadu presents a different challenge, where Dravidian parties such as the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam have dominated the political landscape for decades. The BJP has largely remained a marginal player, often contesting as a junior ally. Beyond these states, the party has also struggled to independently form governments in Telangana and in parts of the Northeast such as Mizoram, where regional parties continue to hold sway. Why May 4 matters Also read: West Bengal Assembly Elections Result 2026: ‘People have rejected Mamata Banerjee’? BJP’s state prez claims India is becoming ‘Modimay’ This round of elections is being seen as a test of whether the BJP can make inroads into these long-standing political strongholds. In West Bengal, the party has invested heavily over the past decade to position itself as the main challenger to the Trinamool Congress. While it has expanded significantly across eastern and northeastern India, including a major breakthrough in Odisha last year, West Bengal remains one of the last large eastern states where it has not formed a government, yet. In Kerala, even a marginal increase in vote share or seats could indicate a shift in a state long defined by bipolar politics. Tamil Nadu, meanwhile, poses a structural challenge shaped by regional identity, language politics and social justice movements. The BJP is contesting as part of an alliance but is also seeking to expand its independent presence. The contrast is evident in Assam, where the BJP has been in power for a decade, and in Puducherry, where it is part of the ruling alliance. These states will test whether the party can retain its base even as it seeks to expand elsewhere.

As vote counting proceeds for 824 seats across five regions, the BJP seeks to retain Assam while attempting a historic breakthrough in West Bengal, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu’s resistant political landscapes.&nbsp;

States where BJP has NEVER formed a government - and why May 4 poll result matters for the party

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday (May 4) took a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as the Indian National Congress struggled in the ongoing assembly elections across five states. In a post on social media platform X, the BJP mocked Gandhi’s electoral record, saying, “If elections were a sport, Rahul Gandhi would have an untouchable record. 99 losses and counting isn’t just a statistic, it’s practically a streak. Across states, across years, across narratives, the outcome barely changes. Campaigns are launched with noise, slogans are refreshed, rebranding attempts come and go - but the result? Always the same. Inching closer to the century. Well done, RaGa!”&nbsp;The post is the latest in a series of barbs by the BJP targeting Gandhi’s electoral track record. The party has repeatedly claimed that Congress has suffered around 95 electoral defeats over the past two decades, a talking point it has used in earlier campaigns as well. The fresh attack came amid early trends from the 2026 assembly elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry, which indicated the BJP leading in key states while the Congress trailed.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/assembly-elections-results-2026-india-without-communist-governments-kerala-assembly-election-defeat-of-ldf-marks-history-here-is-why-1777882051911">India without Communist governments: Kerala assembly election defeat of LDF marks history. Here is why</a>&nbsp;In West Bengal, early counting trends suggested a strong performance by the BJP, which crossed the majority mark and surged past 180 seats. The ruling All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) lagged behind, while the Congress remained a marginal player. In Assam, trends showed the BJP maintaining a comfortable lead, with the Congress-led alliance trailing significantly.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">𝐈𝐟 𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭, 𝐑𝐚𝐡𝐮𝐥 𝐆𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐡𝐢 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝. 𝟗️⃣𝟗️⃣🔻 99 losses and counting isn’t just a statistic, it’s practically a streak. Across states, across years, across narratives, the… <a href="https://t.co/PSmh3yuagE">pic.twitter.com/PSmh3yuagE</a>&mdash; BJP (@BJP4India) <a href="https://twitter.com/BJP4India/status/2051178519154311488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Meanwhile, in Kerala, the Congress-led United Democratic Front was locked in a close contest with the Left, marking one of the few states where the party remained competitive. The BJP had mounted a similar attack on Gandhi after the Bihar elections, reiterating its claim of “95 electoral defeats” over the years.&nbsp;Echoing the party’s stance, BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya wrote on X, “Rahul Gandhi! Another election, another defeat! If there were awards for electoral consistency, he’d sweep them all. At this rate, even setbacks must be wondering how he finds them so reliably.”&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/tamil-nadu-election-results-vijay-s-family-celebrates-as-tvk-inches-closer-to-victory-video-1777878032912">Tamil Nadu Poll Results: Vijay's family celebrates as TVK inches closer to win</a>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Rahul Gandhi! Another election, another defeat! If there were awards for electoral consistency, he’d sweep them all. At this rate, even setbacks must be wondering how he finds them so reliably. <a href="https://t.co/y4rH6g62qG">pic.twitter.com/y4rH6g62qG</a>&mdash; Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) <a href="https://twitter.com/amitmalviya/status/1989211930234613770?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 14, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

BJP mocked Rahul Gandhi as Congress struggled in the 2026 assembly elections, citing his mounting “99 losses” while the BJP crossed majority marks in West Bengal and maintained leads in Assam.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday (May 4) took a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as the Indian National Congress struggled in the ongoing assembly elections across five states. In a post on social media platform X, the BJP mocked Gandhi’s electoral record, saying, “If elections were a sport, Rahul Gandhi would have an untouchable record. 99 losses and counting isn’t just a statistic, it’s practically a streak. Across states, across years, across narratives, the outcome barely changes. Campaigns are launched with noise, slogans are refreshed, rebranding attempts come and go - but the result? Always the same. Inching closer to the century. Well done, RaGa!” The post is the latest in a series of barbs by the BJP targeting Gandhi’s electoral track record. The party has repeatedly claimed that Congress has suffered around 95 electoral defeats over the past two decades, a talking point it has used in earlier campaigns as well. The fresh attack came amid early trends from the 2026 assembly elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry, which indicated the BJP leading in key states while the Congress trailed. Also read: India without Communist governments: Kerala assembly election defeat of LDF marks history. Here is why In West Bengal, early counting trends suggested a strong performance by the BJP, which crossed the majority mark and surged past 180 seats. The ruling All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) lagged behind, while the Congress remained a marginal player. In Assam, trends showed the BJP maintaining a comfortable lead, with the Congress-led alliance trailing significantly.

BJP mocked Rahul Gandhi as Congress struggled in the 2026 assembly elections, citing his mounting “99 losses” while the BJP crossed majority marks in West Bengal and maintained leads in Assam.

‘Inching closer to the century’: BJP takes a dig at Rahul Gandhi as Congress struggles in 2026 assembly polls in 5 states

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States where BJP has NEVER formed a government - and why May 4 poll result matters for the party

‘Inching closer to the century’: BJP takes a dig at Rahul Gandhi