A day after refusing to resign as West Bengal Chief Minister despite the BJP’s sweeping victory, Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday hardened her stance, with party leaders framing the move as a “symbolic protest” against alleged manipulation of Assembly poll results and signalling a prolonged political and legal battle.
At a meeting of newly elected TMC MLAs and senior leaders at her Kalighat residence, Banerjee reportedly told legislators that the BJP had “looted” the election and said the party would approach the Supreme Court, alleging large-scale manipulation during counting.
The meeting, attended by TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee and other senior leaders, also focused on the party’s future strategy, organisational restructuring, and allocation of responsibilities following its worst electoral setback since coming to power in 2011.
According to leaders present, Banerjee struck a defiant note and indicated that the TMC would politically resist what it described as an “engineered mandate”.
“Let them impose President’s Rule if they want. Let them dismiss me if they want. Let it remain on record as a black day,” Banerjee was quoted as telling party legislators during the closed-door meeting.
Constitutional experts noted that the term of the current West Bengal Assembly ends on May 7. Until then, Banerjee will continue in office. Once the term expires, however, she will automatically cease to be Chief Minister, irrespective of whether she formally resigns—effectively making the standoff time-bound.
Banerjee also announced the formation of a disciplinary committee amid concerns over internal discontent and possible organisational drift following the defeat.
TMC spokesperson and newly elected Beliaghata MLA Kunal Ghosh defended her refusal to resign, calling it a “language of protest” in a democracy.
“Mamata didi not tendering her resignation is a protest language. It is symbolic. This is a protest against the way the Election Commission allegedly manipulated the results in more than 100 constituencies during counting,” Ghosh told reporters.
He alleged that the TMC had been “forcibly defeated” and said Banerjee’s decision was meant to register political dissent against the outcome.
“This is a symbol of protest. In a democracy, this can also be a form of protest language,” he said.
Ghosh reiterated the party’s charge that the Election Commission acted in favour of the BJP during counting.
“We still believe this result was not proper. The Election Commission became part and parcel of the BJP’s result,” he claimed.
He added that all decisions on the party’s future course and organisational responsibilities would rest with Banerjee.
“Who will get which responsibility and what assignment will be given to whom, that is entirely Didi’s decision, and all of us will abide by it. Whatever decision she takes will be final,” Ghosh said.
Banerjee had on Tuesday described the verdict as “not a people’s mandate but a conspiracy”, setting the stage for an unprecedented political confrontation even before the formal transfer of power.
The BJP secured a historic victory with 207 seats in the 294-member Assembly, ending the TMC’s uninterrupted 15-year rule in the state. Banerjee, however, claimed that nearly 100 seats had been “taken away” from her party during counting. The TMC was reduced to 80 seats.
The BJP dismissed the allegations, accusing the TMC of refusing to accept the popular verdict, while the Election Commission rejected claims of manipulation, stating that counting was conducted under established procedures and strict monitoring.
Banerjee’s refusal to immediately resign has triggered a wider political and constitutional debate. Experts point out that while convention dictates that an outgoing chief minister resigns after defeat, the Constitution does not prescribe a mandatory timeline before an alternative government is sworn in.
The BJP is set to form its first government in West Bengal on May 9, with state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya announcing that the swearing-in ceremony will be held at Kolkata’s Brigade Parade Grounds.
(With inputs from PTI)