As the counting process commenced at 8 am for 42 seats in West Bengal, initial trends indicated a closely contested battle between the BJP and the Trinamool Congress (TMC). Early reports suggested that both parties were vying for dominance, with the Congress and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) also making gains in the ballot counting. Despite exit polls speculating a potential lead for the BJP over the Trinamool, the paper ballot counting indicated a neck-and-neck competition between the two major parties, emphasizing the uncertainty surrounding the final outcome.