Bhubaneswar (Special Correspondent, The Fact Bureau): A day after the Trinamool Congress (TMC) suffered a major defeat to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the West Bengal Assembly elections, party supremo Mamata Banerjee made it clear that she will not step down as Chief Minister, claiming the electoral process was not conducted fairly.
Addressing a press conference alongside senior party leaders Derek O’Brien and Abhishek Banerjee, she asserted that the verdict does not reflect a genuine loss. “We have not been defeated. I will not resign. There is no question of going to Raj Bhawan,” she said.
Traditionally, an outgoing Chief Minister submits their resignation to the Governor after Assembly election results are declared, paving the way for the formation of a new government.
Banerjee also levelled serious allegations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, accusing them of interfering directly in the state elections.
She further criticized Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, calling him the “villain” of the electoral process. The TMC chief announced that her party would launch a fact-finding exercise before deciding its next course of action.
In a decisive outcome, the BJP secured 207 seats in the Assembly, while the TMC managed 80. Mamata Banerjee herself was defeated in the Bhabanipur constituency.
The Congress won two seats, while TMC rebel Humayun Kabir’s Aam Janata Unnayan Party also bagged two. The CPI(M) and the All India Secular Front secured one seat each.
As per the Election Commission, the current West Bengal Assembly, which commenced on May 8, 2021, will complete its term on May 7. Following this, the Governor will initiate the process of constituting a new Assembly, including the swearing-in of newly elected MLAs and the formation of the next government.
