Even Maa Durga Can’t Predict: Sourav Ganguly Shrugs Off Bengal Exit Poll Buzz
Mumbai: As exit poll predictions for the high-stakes 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections spark intense political debate, former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly has offered a grounded perspective urging patience over speculation.
Responding to reporters’ questions on the likely outcome, Ganguly said that neither political leaders nor divine forces could predict the result. “How can I answer such a question? Only when the ballot box opens will we know the answer,” he remarked, adding that even Mamata Banerjee, Narendra Modi, or Bengal’s presiding deity Maa Durga cannot foresee the verdict.
Polling for the 294-member Assembly was conducted in two phases on April 23 and April 29, with counting scheduled for May 4. A majority mark of 148 seats is required to form the government.
Meanwhile, exit polls have painted a largely favourable picture for the Bharatiya Janata Party, suggesting it could challenge the ruling All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) in a significant way.
According to Today’s Chanakya, the BJP is projected to secure 192 seats (±11) with a vote share of 48% (±3%), while the TMC+ alliance is estimated at 100 seats (±11) with a 38% (±3%) vote share. Other parties are expected to play a minimal role, with around 2 seats (±2).
Other pollsters echo a similar trend. Praja Poll forecasts the BJP winning between 178 and 208 seats, while the TMC could be reduced to 85–110 down sharply from its 215-seat tally in 2021. P-Marq predicts 150–175 seats for the BJP and 118–138 for the TMC, while Matrize and Poll Diary estimate the BJP’s tally between 142–171 and 146–161 seats respectively.
However, not all projections align. Janmat Polls has bucked the trend, predicting a strong comeback for the TMC with 195–205 seats, closely mirroring its 2021 performance, and placing the BJP between 80–90 seats.
With sharply divergent forecasts and high political stakes, the final outcome remains uncertain underscoring Ganguly’s point that the real verdict will only emerge when votes are counted on May 4.
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