New Delhi: As vote counting begins across four key states and one Union Territory at 8 am on Monday, attention has turned to the crucial 'magic number' each party or alliance must reach to form the government. Early visuals on news portals show counting dashboards reset to zero, but the total seat counts and majority marks are now in sharp focus.
In West Bengal, which has a total of 294 assembly seats, the halfway mark, or the magic number, stands at 148. This means any party or alliance crossing this figure will be in a position to stake a claim to form the government. The state is expected to witness a triangular contest involving the BJP+, Congress-led alliance and the ruling TMC+.
In Tamil Nadu, the assembly has 234 seats, setting the majority mark at 118. The political battle here largely revolves around the DMK+ and AIADMK+ alliances, with other regional players also hoping to influence the final tally.
For Kerala, which has 140 seats, the magic number is 71. The contest is traditionally bipolar between the LDF and UDF, with the BJP+ attempting to expand its footprint in the state.
Moving to the Northeast, Assam has 126 seats, making 64 the majority mark. The BJP-led alliance and the Congress-led bloc are the main contenders and early trends will be closely watched to gauge whether the incumbent retains power or faces a challenge.
In the Union Territory of Puducherry, the assembly comprises 30 seats, with 16 required for a simple majority. Given the smaller size of the assembly, even minor shifts in seat share can majorly alter the outcome.
As of now, all seats across these regions are marked as awaited, with counting just beginning. Postal ballots are expected to be counted first, followed by EVM votes in successive rounds. Initial trends are likely to emerge within the first few hours, but clear pictures may take longer, especially in closely contested constituencies.
Security has been tightened at counting centres and strict protocols are in place to ensure transparency and fairness. Political parties have deployed counting agents at every table to monitor the process.
With high-stakes battles unfolding across these regions, today’s results will play a crucial role in shaping the political landscape ahead of the next general election cycle. All eyes are now on the counting centres as the race to cross the magic number officially begins.
