Mamata In Denial: Refuses to Step Down As West Bengal CM, Claims Moral Victory Despite BJP’s Landslide

West Bengal Elections: A day after a crushing defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said she will not resign, insisting that the verdict does not reflect the will of the people.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief dismissed the outcome as manipulated and claimed her party had secured a “moral victory."

“I will not resign. I did not lose, and I will not go to Raj Bhavan—the question simply does not arise. We did not lose this election; this was a forced attempt to defeat us. They may use the Election Commission to defeat us officially, but morally, we won," she said. 

Her response follows a historic win by the Bharatiya Janata Party, which bagged 206 seats and ended the TMC’s 15-year rule in the state.

Banerjee alleged large-scale irregularities, claiming that around 100 seats were “stolen” from her party. She directly targeted the Election Commission of India, accusing it of failing to ensure a fair election. According to her, polling and counting processes were compromised, and officials acted in a biased manner.

She also claimed that her team and counting agents were denied proper access at key moments, raising questions about transparency. “Why were we not allowed inside? Who was controlling the process?” she asked.

In a serious allegation, Banerjee said she was physically assaulted at a polling station. “They kicked me and threw me out,” she said, adding that the experience was humiliating. She also alleged that law enforcement remained inactive during the incident.

The outgoing chief  minister further accused the Centre of interfering in the electoral process and claimed that democratic institutions were under pressure. She warned that such practices could weaken opposition voices across the country.

Despite the setback, Banerjee struck a defiant note, saying she would continue her political fight. “I don’t care about the chair, I care about the people. We will fight back,” she said, announcing plans to set up a fact-finding committee to probe the alleged irregularities. She also called for unity among opposition parties, saying the INDIA bloc would stand together against what she described as attempts to create a one-party system.

With Banerjee refusing to accept the verdict and raising serious questions over the electoral process, West Bengal now appears headed for a tense political phase even as the BJP moves to take charge after its landmark victory.