Violence Breaks out in Kolkata, Other Parts of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee Refuses to Submit Resignation Accusing EC of “Vote Theft”

Manas Dasgupta

NEW DELHI, May 5: Even as the BJP-supporting hooligans have taken over Kolkata and many other parts of West Bengal a day the saffron party “swept” the state Assembly elections, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief and the “defeated” chief minister Mamata Banerjee said she would not go to the Lok Bhavan and tender her resignation since the verdict was not a genuine public mandate but the result of a conspiracy.

“The question does not arise. We did not lose elections. It is their forceful attempt to defeat us. Officially, through the Election Commission, they may defeat us. But morally I am telling you, we won the election,” she said when asked if she will meet the Governor to offer her resignation.

Violence broke out in many parts of Kolkata and in the rural areas of West Bengal with people carrying BJP flags attacked and damaged and destroyed offices of the TMC, and several places TMC leaders and workers were chased, their clothes torn and beaten up on the roads and in many places set fire to the TMC flags. Many of the shops owned or run by the Muslims were also damaged in several parts of the state. Most of the violent incidents took place in the presence of police and central security forces who just watched the situation as silent spectators. The TMC Office was set on fire by the BJP workers in Asansol on Monday as the counting trend showed the saffron party in the driving seat.

Addressing a presser at her residence after defeat in West Bengal Elections 2026, Banerjee said “No one can force me to resign,” she said.

“I will not resign, I did not lose, I will not go to Raj Bhavan… They can take action as per constitutional norms. The question doesn’t arise. No. Now, I also want to say that we didn’t lose the election. It is their attempt to defeat us. Officially, through the Election Commission, they can defeat us, but morally, we won the election.”

Ms Banerjee was joined by her nephew and Trinamool general secretary Abhishek Banerjee and party leaders Firhad Hakim and Chandrima Bhattacharya at the press conference. The Trinamool chairperson assured her supporters, “We will bounce bank.”

Banerjee alleged large-scale irregularities in the counting process, claiming that mandate in nearly 100 seats was “looted” and that counting was deliberately slowed down to demoralise her party. “A black chapter in history has been created,” she asserted. As per the Election Commission records, the BJP won 207 of the 293 Assembly seats which were counted on Monday and the Trinamool was reduced to 80 seats. Ms Banerjee lost the Bhabanipur constituency to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari by a margin of 15,114 voters.

It is a usual practice for the outgoing Chief Minister to submit a resignation to the Governor of the State, so that a new government can be sworn in. The term of the Ms Banerjee-led government, which came to power in 2021, ends on May 7.

Constitutional experts say it did not matter if the Chief Minister tenders her resignation or not. “Once the government and this term expires, everything is null and void. None of these positions, including the CM or the Ministers hold any value even if they don’t resign. It is like sitting there with expired medicine. What will she do with it even if she does not resign,” the experts said.

In her first media interaction after the electoral setback, Ms Banerjee repeatedly targeted the Election Commission and said the real contest was not with the BJP but with the poll body. “We did not lose, they have forcefully captured the State. The real villain is Election Commission,” she said.

The Trinamool chairperson said several leaders of INDIA bloc, including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, have reached out to her and the task for her will be to strengthen the Opposition alliance. “Thankful to all INDIA bloc leaders. Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh, Hemant Soren, Tejaswi leaders called me. Akhilesh (Yadav) will come to meet me tomorrow. Now my target is clear – I am a free bird – I had made it clear what will I do with other INDIA bloc leaders. I will strengthen INDIA bloc,” she added.

Asked whether she would return to the State Assembly, the Trinamool chairperson said, “I am not going there. I want to live as a less important person. I do not care about the chair. I only care about the people.”

Banerjee – who is at her fighting best when cornered and just on Monday promised to fight like a “tiger cub” — argued that she has not lost the election and the mandate the BJP got was the result of “loot.” She claimed that at least 100 seats have been stolen in this election. It was “loot, loot, loot,” she said.

Today, she accused the government and the Election Commission being complicit. Accusing the poll body of playing “nasty games” and said the Trinamool’s real rival, is the commission and not the BJP. Accusing the government of “direct interference”, she said, “This is how they stole elections from Maharashtra, Haryana, Bihar and now Bengal.” “This is not how democracy works.  When the judiciary is not there, when Election Commission is biased and the government wants one-party rule, a wrong message is going to the world,” she said.

Banerjee launched a sharp attack on the Election Commission, alleging large-scale irregularities in the Assembly elections. The TMC chief accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of undermining people’s democratic rights.  “The CEC became the villain of this election, undermining democratic rights and the integrity of EVMs. How did machines show an 80-95% charge after voting? How is that possible?” she asked, raising questions over the functioning of electronic voting machines.

She alleged that administrative machinery was manipulated ahead of the polls. “Even two days before voting, arrests were carried out indiscriminately, and raids were conducted everywhere. Officials — from ICs and OCs to SGOs, DMs, and IPS officers– were changed across the board. These appointments were politically influenced,” she claimed.

Taking direct aim at the BJP, she said the party had worked in tandem with the poll body. “We did not fight the BJP; we fought the EC, which worked for the saffron party. It was like a ‘setting’ between the BJP and the Election Commission,” she alleged.

The TMC chief further claimed there was interference at the highest levels. “We fought against the entire machinery, with the Prime Minister and the Home Minister also involved. Around 90 lakh names were deleted from the voter list. When we went to court, 32 lakh were restored. But another seven lakh names were later added without anyone knowing,” she said.

Calling the election unprecedented, Banerjee added, “I have never seen such an election in my life. Since my student days, I have witnessed many elections—even in 2004—but nothing like this.”

The outgoing Chief Minister alleged widespread violence during counting and campaigning, claiming her party workers were attacked and intimidated.

“After first round of counting, media started saying that BJP is getting 195-200. You didn’t wait for the final result. You didn’t even wait for 5-6 rounds. After that campaign with the press media, BJP leaders and workers went inside the polling station and they started beating the people, counting agents.

About counting of votes in her own constituency Bhabanipur, she said, “When I came to know that all counting agents were forced to withdraw I was leading by about 30,000 and about 5 rounds were left. We should have got more than 32,000. Then the BJP candidate went inside along with 200 CRPF personnel and 200 outside goons, then they beat up our people. Even women were not spared and they snatched away all forms,” she said.

Banerjee also alleged that she was physically assaulted during the counting process. “When I came to know, I went there. They stopped my car but I took another route. When I entered, CRPF told me that I was not allowed to go. I said that I am a candidate. Then I complained to the RO that counting should be stopped immediately until normalcy is restored. I saw the DEO. I know that he gave a message to someone 15 days ago that ‘counting mein khel hoga’. I went inside for a few minutes. They kicked me in my belly, backside and manhandled and assaulted me. That time CCTV was off,” she said.

“They misbehaved with me, so I can guess how much the other candidates and workers were tortured. The party and other INDIA bloc leaders are standing in solidarity with them. We will bounce back and fight back… We fought them just like a tiger,” she added.

The 71-year-old also said she was assaulted at a polling station and that was why she could not meet the media on Monday. “I was kicked in the belly and back. The CCTV was off. I was pushed out of the counting station. As a woman I was misbehaved with,” she said. “If Central forces can behave like this. I have nothing to say. I have seen former BJP governments at the Centre. But nothing like this,” she said.

Banerjee refused to reveal her party’s strategy for the coming days but said the leaders of INDIA bloc have contacted her and she has their backing. She however, said her party would form a fact-finding committee with five MPs and others to go to places where the Trinamool leaders attacked and party offices which have been vandalised.

Earlier in the day, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, whose party despite being under the same umbrella at the Centre is Trinamool’s arch-rival in the state, accused the BJP of “vote theft” in Bengal. In a post on X, he said, “Some in the Congress, and others, are gloating about TMC’s loss. They need to understand this clearly – the theft of Assam and Bengal’s mandate is a big step forward by the BJP in its mission to destroy Indian democracy. Put petty politics aside. This is not about one party or another. This is about India.”

On Monday too, Gandhi had backed Mamata Banerjee’s claims of loot of 100 seats. “Assam and Bengal are clear cases of the election being stolen by the BJP with the support of the EC. We agree with Mamata ji. More than 100 seats were stolen in Bengal. We have seen this playbook before: Madhya Pradesh. Haryana. Maharashtra. Lok Sabha 2024 etc,” his post read.