A day after the Trinamool Congress lost West Bengal to the BJP, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee refused to accept the verdict, saying there was "no question" of her resignation and insisting that her party had not lost the election.

"I will not resign, I did not lose, I will not go to Raj Bhavan. The question doesn't arise. 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," Banerjee said when asked if she would visit Raj Bhavan.

The BJP won 206 of the 294 seats in the Assembly, ending the TMC's 15-year rule. Banerjee also lost her own seat in Bhabanipur.

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During a press conference, she alleged large-scale irregularities and accused the Election Commission of bias. "Sad to say, CEC became the villain of this election to loot the democratic rights of the people and to loot the EVM. Can you tell me that after voting, EVM has an 80-90% charge? How is it possible?" she said.

Banerjee claimed opposition workers were targeted ahead of polling. "Two days before the election, they started arresting our people. They started raiding everywhere. They changed all IPS and IAS officers. They selected people from their party and BJP played the game directly with the Election Commission," she said.

"It is a battle between the BJP and the Election Commission. We fought against all machinery. PM and HM are also involved in direct interference. They deleted 90 lakh names in the SIR. When we went to court, 32 lakh names were included...They played dirty, nasty, and mischievous games. I have never seen this type of election in my life."

The outgoing chief minister also alleged irregularities during the counting, claiming violence and interference. After the first round of counting, she claimed, the officials started saying that the BJP was 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, the BJP went inside the polling station, and they started beating the people, the counting agents."

Banerjee said she was leading by around 30,000 votes before the situation changed. "When I came to know that all counting agents were withdrawn, I was leading by about 30,000, and about 5 rounds were left. Then the BJP candidate went inside along with 200 CRPF personnel and 200 outside goons, and then they beat up our people. Even women were not spared, and they snatched away all forms."

Speaking on the INDIA block, Banerjee said all the allies of the alliance told her that they were "totally and absolutely" with her. "I think our solidarity will be united and strong for the next few days."

"Akhilesh requested me if he can come today itself, but I told him to come tomorrow. So, he will come tomorrow. One by one, everyone will come. My target is very clear. I will strengthen the INDIA team, just like a small person. I don't have a chair now, so I am a commoner. So, you cannot tell me that I am using your chair. I am now a free bird," she added.

Published on: May 5, 2026 5:11 PM IST