As West Bengal prepares for its upcoming Assembly elections, a new survey has provided insights into voter sentiment across the state. According to the latest findings, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee continues to hold a clear advantage over the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Suvendu Adhikari in the race for the chief minister’s post.
The Election Commission is expected to announce the poll schedule for West Bengal, along with Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Assam and Puducherry, within the next week. The political contest in West Bengal is widely being viewed as a direct fight between the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the BJP. Mamata Banerjee has been leading the state since 2011.
Survey findings on preferred Chief Minister
According to the survey titled ‘West Bengal Elections 2026: Round 2 - Thematic’ conducted by Vote Vibe, Mamata Banerjee remains the most preferred choice among voters for the post of chief minister. The survey found that 42% of respondents want the three-time chief minister to continue in office.
In comparison, 19% of respondents said they would prefer BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari as the next chief minister of the state.
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The survey also suggested that the TMC continues to retain strong support among Muslim voters. It noted that the ruling party had also managed to win the perception battle during the Enforcement Directorate raids on IPAC.
Key issues influencing voters
The survey highlighted unemployment as the biggest concern among respondents. Around 36% of those surveyed identified unemployment as a major issue affecting the state. Law and order emerged as another important concern, with 19% of respondents pointing to it as a key issue.
The question of illegal migration also appears to be influencing political discussions. According to the survey, about 47% of respondents believed that the BJP’s allegation that the TMC was facilitating illegal migration was ‘true’. Meanwhile, 33% of respondents said they preferred to remain neutral or could not comment on the issue.
The survey also asked respondents about the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise being conducted in the state. Around 38% believed that the exercise was aimed at identifying and removing illegal voters from the electoral rolls. On the other hand, 29% of respondents felt it was simply a routine process.
In terms of governance, over 34% of respondents rated the performance of the Mamata Banerjee-led government as ‘excellent’, while 18% described it as ‘very poor’.
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Looking back at the 2021 elections
The last West Bengal Assembly elections were held in eight phases between March 27 and April 29, 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The election was conducted to fill all 294 seats in the state legislative assembly.
The Trinamool Congress, led by Mamata Banerjee, secured a decisive victory despite opinion polls predicting a close contest with the BJP. The BJP emerged as the main opposition party with 77 seats.
Notably, the 2021 election marked the first time in West Bengal’s history that neither the Congress nor the Communist Party secured representation in the assembly.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission has already appointed returning officers for all 294 constituencies in the poll-bound state.
