Exit polls for the Assembly elections across West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and the Union Territory of Puducherry have delivered a sharply divided national picture, with West Bengal emerging as the most uncertain battleground and clearer mandates visible in the other four regions. The projections, released after the close of the final phase of polling in Bengal on Wednesday, point to a high-stakes verdict ahead of counting on May 4.West Bengal, with 294 seats and a majority mark of 148, has produced the most fractured exit poll verdict. Peoples Pulse has projected a clear win for the Trinamool Congress (TMC) with 177-187 seats, placing the BJP at 95-110. In contrast, Matrize has given the BJP an edge with 146-161 seats against TMC’s 125-140. P-Marq has estimated 150-175 seats for the BJP and 118-138 for the TMC, while Poll Diary has projected BJP at 142-171 and TMC at 99-127. Prajapati Exit Polls has gone further, projecting 178-208 seats for the BJP against 85-110 for the TMC.Across agencies, the Left Front and Congress remain marginal, largely confined to low single digits. The only consistent trend across projections is that the contest has narrowed to a direct fight between the BJP and the TMC, but the scale of variation leaves the outcome wide open. Meanwhile, Axis My India said around 70 per cent of people did not respond to its survey in Bengal, leaving it without sufficient data for projections.In Assam, projections indicate a decisive mandate for the BJP-led NDA in the 126-member Assembly, where the majority mark is 64. Axis My India has forecast 88-100 seats for the NDA and 24-36 for Congress+. Peoples Pulse has estimated 68-72 seats for the NDA, 22-26 for Congress+ and 3-5 for AIUDF. Matrize has projected 85-95 seats for the NDA and 25-32 for Congress+. Despite a reported rural swing of around seven percentage points in favour of Congress+, the numbers suggest it may not be enough to challenge the NDA’s lead.Tamil Nadu, with 234 seats and a majority mark of 118, shows a stable mandate in favour of the ruling DMK-led alliance. Peoples Pulse has projected 125-145 seats for the DMK-INC alliance, comfortably above the majority mark, while placing the AIADMK-BJP alliance at 65-80 seats and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) at 18-24 seats. Matrize has estimated 122-132 seats for the DMK-Congress combine and 87-100 for the NDA, with TVK at 10-12. The projections indicate that the DMK alliance is set to retain power, while the TVK is expected to emerge as a new player with a measurable presence.Kerala’s 140-member Assembly, with a majority mark of 71, appears set to continue its alternating political pattern. Axis My India has projected 78-90 seats for the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and 49-62 for the Left Democratic Front (LDF). Peoples Pulse has estimated 75-85 seats for the UDF and 55-65 for the LDF, while Matrize has given 70-75 seats to the UDF and 60-65 to the LDF. Vote share estimates place the UDF at around 44 per cent against the LDF’s 39 per cent, suggesting a clear edge. The NDA remains marginal, with projections ranging between 0 and 5 seats.In Puducherry, exit polls indicate an advantage for the NDA led by the All India NR Congress in the 30-member Assembly, where the majority mark is 16. Axis My India has projected 16-20 seats for the NDA, 6-8 for the DMK-Congress alliance and 2-4 for TVK. Peoples Pulse has estimated AINRC at 10-12 seats, NDA at 5-6 and DMK-INC+ at 6-8. Vote share projections place the NDA at around 40 per cent, followed by DMK-Congress at 30 per cent and TVK at 17 per cent. The data also indicates a demographic split, with younger voters favouring TVK and older voters showing stronger support for the NDA.Polling was held in a single phase in Assam, Kerala and Puducherry on April 9, and in Tamil Nadu on April 23 alongside the first phase in West Bengal. The second phase in West Bengal took place on April 29. Voter turnout remained high across states, with Assam recording around 85.91 per cent, Puducherry over 91 per cent, Tamil Nadu about 85 per cent and West Bengal over 92 per cent in the first phase. Kerala recorded turnout of around 78 per cent. Bypolls to eight Assembly seats across six states were also held during this period.