“West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee refuses to resign after her party lost the Bengal election…“
Kolkata| May 5, 2026 __ West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday refused to resign after her party, the Trinamool Congress (TMC), lost the state election, alleging that “100 seats have been stolen” and calling the result “loot, loot, loot”.
Banerjee, 71, spoke in Kolkata hours after counting ended in her Bhabanipur constituency, she stated, “I have not lost, so I will not go to Raj Bhavan. I will not tender resignation.” The West Bengal Assembly, which has 294 seats and a majority mark of 148, is set to complete its term on May 7, leaving a narrow two-day window for the government formation.
What’s happening around the world: West Bengal Election Results 2026: BJP Crosses Majority
Allegations Against Election Commission, Centre
Banerjee accused the Election Commission of India and the Central Government of “direct interference”, claiming, “this is how they stole elections from Maharashtra, Haryana, Bihar and now Bengal”. She alleged that the Commission, which deploys central forces during polls, acted in a biased manner.
The Chief Minister also described violence during counting. “I was kicked in the belly and back. The CCTV was off. I was pushed out of the counting station”, she said, referring to events in Bhabanipur. No official response from the Election Commission or the BJP has been issued at the time of filing.
Political Support and Escalation
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi backed Banerjee’s claims, stating on X that “more than 100 seats were stolen in Bengal”, and calling the result part of a broader pattern seen in Assam, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. The INDIA bloc, of which TMC is a member, has indicated support for a fact-finding committee involving 5 MPs.
Banerjee said her party would send teams to areas where “party offices have been vandalized”, even as BJP leaders prepared to stake claim to form the government.
Constitutional Uncertainty Ahead
With the assembly term ending May 7, Governor RN Ravi may invite the BJP to form government if it crosses the 148-seat majority. If no party establishes control, provisions under Article 356 could allow President’s Rule.
The Election Commission has previously maintained that state elections are conducted under multi-layered monitoring, including central observers and security deployment. No verified evidence supporting Banerjee’s claims has been presented publicly by late Monday.
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