ISLAMABAD: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has rejected the outcome of the state assembly elections, calling the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) sweeping victory “immoral” and “illegal,” and alleging that more than 100 seats were “looted.”
Speaking to reporters at the Bhabanipur counting centre, Banerjee accused the Election Commission, central security forces, and senior BJP leadership of orchestrating irregularities during polling and counting.
“The BJP looted more than 100 seats. This is not a moral victory,” she said, adding that repeated complaints to election officials went unaddressed.
The remarks came as the Bharatiya Janata Party secured a decisive lead, winning 207 seats in the 294-member West Bengal Assembly — a major surge from its previous tally of 77 seats. The ruling All India Trinamool Congress won 80 seats after 15 years in power.
Banerjee also alleged violence and obstruction during the counting process. She claimed that her party workers were attacked, CCTV cameras were switched off, and polling agents were denied access to counting centers.
“From the afternoon onwards, our people were beaten. Even I was hit. Our agents were not allowed inside,” she said, adding that officials failed to respond to her complaints.
Despite the setback, the chief minister said her party would “bounce back,” maintaining that the electoral mandate had been compromised.
Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi echoed Banerjee’s claims, alleging that elections in both Assam and West Bengal were “stolen” with the Election Commission's support.
In a post on social media platform X, Gandhi said similar patterns had been seen in previous elections, including Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and the 2024 general elections.
“The elections in Assam and Bengal are clear cases of institutional misuse,” he said, backing Banerjee’s assertion that over 100 seats were manipulated.
In the high-profile Bhabanipur constituency, Banerjee remains locked in a close contest with BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari. According to official data, she is leading by 3,830 votes after 14 rounds of counting.
The BJP’s strong performance marks a historic breakthrough in West Bengal, a state where it had long remained a marginal political force.
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