Why it could be an ‘election of records’ for Mamata Banerjee, Pinarayi Vijayan and ‘Thalapathy’ Vijay

The 2026 assembly elections in several states could become an 'election of records' as vote counting began for high-stakes contests. Regional Opposition leaders, including Mamata Banerjee, Pinarayi Vijayan, and Vijay, are seeking consecutive terms and hoping to keep the BJP-led NDA out of power in their respective regions. Mamata Banerjee is in a position to secure a fourth straight term as chief minister, a milestone no woman chief minister of a large state has achieved.