‘Didi, You Have Not Lost': Akhilesh Yadav Tells Mamata Banerjee

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday visited the residence of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata, where a closed-door meeting was held between the two leaders beginning around 3:15 PM.

According to the party's official sources, the meeting witnessed a cordial atmosphere, with TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee also present. Leaders exchanged greetings, and at the start of the meeting, Akhilesh Yadav and Abhishek Banerjee hugged each other, party sources said.

TMC official sources said the discussion carried a positive tone, quoting Akhilesh Yadav as telling Abhishek Banerjee, "What a commendable battle you all have fought." He also reportedly told Mamata Banerjee, "Didi, you have not lost."

The meeting comes amid the BJP's spectacular win in West Bengal with 207 seats declared on Monday. TMC, which has been in power in West Bengal for the past 15 years, won 80 seats.

Earlier in the day, Yadav alleged that democracy in West Bengal had been undermined, claiming that voters were pressured during elections and did not exercise their franchise freely.

Speaking to reporters, he accused the BJP of weakening democratic institutions. "No one has probably damaged democracy as much as the BJP has," Yadav said, adding that the party "cannot tolerate women's rise in politics" and that voting took place under coercion rather than free will.

He also questioned incidents of political violence in the state, including attacks on party workers and damage to party offices, asking who would be held responsible for security lapses during the polls.

Yadav further alleged that an excessive deployment of central forces during the elections created a "parallel structure," claiming personnel were brought in from multiple states, including Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, to manage polling arrangements.

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