Mamata Rejects Poll Result, Calls It a Conspiracy

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, chief of TMC, addresses during a public meeting for the Lok Sabha polls, in Islampur, West Bengal.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has refused to accept the outcome of the recent state election, rejecting calls to resign and claiming the result does not reflect the people’s mandate.

Speaking at a press conference in Kolkata on Monday, the Trinamool Congress leader alleged that the election outcome was the result of a “conspiracy” rather than a genuine public verdict.

“The question of my resignation does not arise. We were not defeated by the people but by a conspiracy,” she said, adding that constitutional procedures could proceed as required.

Mamata also accused the Election Commission of India of bias, alleging that her party effectively contested the polls against the commission itself, which she claimed favoured the Bharatiya Janata Party.

She further alleged irregularities during vote counting, claiming results in nearly 100 constituencies were manipulated and that the process was deliberately slowed to weaken her party’s position.

Describing the outcome as a “black chapter,” she signalled plans to challenge the results.

According to official figures, the BJP secured a sweeping victory, winning 206 out of 294 seats, while the Trinamool Congress managed 81. Other parties, including the Congress and left-leaning groups, won only a limited number of seats.

Mamata, who had served three consecutive terms as chief minister, also lost her Bhabanipur constituency to Suvendu Adhikari, a former ally who later joined the BJP.

The result marks a significant political shift in West Bengal, ending over a decade of Trinamool Congress rule and reshaping the state’s political landscape.