Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with his family, visited the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, to offer prayers to Lord Sri Venkateswara Swamy. This visit followed the successful completion of the 2026 Assembly elections in West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry. Kumar, accompanied by his wife Anuradha Kumar, paid respects at the temple after overseeing the extensive electoral processes.
The 2026 Assembly elections in these regions garnered significant attention nationwide due to their political importance and competitive nature involving various national and regional parties. The election results were announced on May 4 after voting took place in multiple phases throughout April. Notably, the BJP secured its first government in West Bengal, with Suvendu Adhikari becoming the Chief Minister, ending the Trinamool Congress’ long-standing rule in the state.
In Tamil Nadu, actor-turned-politician C. Joseph Vijay emerged as a key political figure and assumed the role of Chief Minister, marking a notable shift in the state’s political landscape traditionally dominated by Dravidian parties. Additionally, the BJP retained power in Assam under Himanta Biswa Sarma’s leadership, overcoming anti-incumbency to secure another term.
In Kerala, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) defeated the Left Democratic Front (LDF), which had two consecutive terms, while the BJP made gains by winning three seats in the state Assembly. Meanwhile, in Puducherry, the AINRC-led NDA alliance, under Chief Minister N. Rangasamy, retained power for a second term.
The Election Commission had announced the election schedule in March, with robust security and administrative measures in place to ensure smooth and peaceful polling across all five regions.
