KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee on Monday launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Election Commission, terming the saffron party’s massive mandate in the state assembly elections “immoral and looted.”
Banerjee arrived at the Sakhawat Memorial Government Girls’ High School counting centre on Lord Sinha Road in the afternoon, amid allegations by the TMC that one of its counting agents had been forcibly removed from the premises. The Chief Minister’s visit quickly escalated into a high-drama confrontation.
Speaking to reporters after exiting the centre, a visibly agitated Banerjee made startling allegations of physical assault. “They have been beating us since 3 o’clock. They kicked me… they switched off the CCTV and did not allow our agent to enter,” she stated. The Chief Minister said she entered the counting hall for five minutes and secured an assurance that her agent would be permitted inside, but the promise was never honoured.
The TMC chief launched a direct attack on the central forces deployed for the elections, accusing them of blatant partisanship. She alleged a conspiracy involving Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. “The Election Commission’s activities were illegal, taking the help of central forces in collusion with the Prime Minister and the Home Minister,” Banerjee claimed.
Banerjee further stated that the electoral mandate in over 100 constituencies was stolen. She claimed she was specifically targeted for speaking out against the Election Commission’s alleged malpractice. “I complained to Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal, but to no avail. The CCTV was off, and our polling agents were not allowed inside the counting centres,” she added.
The day marked a historic political setback for the TMC chief, ending her party’s 15-year-long uninterrupted rule in the state. The BJP secured a two-thirds majority to form the next government. Adding to the humiliation, Banerjee lost her own stronghold of Bhabanipur to BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari by a margin exceeding 15,000 votes.
This defeat echoes her 2021 loss in the Nandigram seat to Adhikari. However, in 2021, the TMC had managed to retain power with a landslide, despite her personal loss. In 2026, she lost both her seat and the state, dealing an existential blow to her party.
