Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday unveiled the party’s candidate roster for the 2026 West Bengal assembly elections, confirming that her organisation will contest 291 of the state’s 294 seats.

The Chief Minister, speaking at a press conference in Kolkata, announced that the party has ceded the three remaining constituencies in the Darjeeling hills to its ally, the Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM), led by Anit Thapa.

"We will contest 291 of the 294 seats. The remaining three seats will be contested by our ally, Anit Thapa-led BGPM, in the Darjeeling hills," Banerjee said. She was joined at the briefing by TMC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee and State President Subrata Bakshi.

Banerjee projected a dominant performance for the ruling party, asserting that the TMC is on track to secure a fourth consecutive term with a substantial mandate.

"We will win more than 226 seats in the 2026 assembly polls," she stated.

Addressing potential internal friction, the Chief Minister offered a reassurance to party loyalists who were not selected for the ballot. She pledged that those excluded from the candidate list would be "accommodated in the organisation."

Banerjee also utilised the platform to criticise the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), predicting a sharp decline in the opposition's electoral fortunes.

"The BJP's tally will decrease in this election. They will receive a befitting reply for their anti-people policies," she said.

The announcement marks the formal start of the TMC's campaign as it prepares for the two-phase election scheduled for April 23 and April 29. Results for all 294 seats are expected on May 4.