Mamata Banerjee, the leader of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Election Commission of India of “manipulating” the election results in West Bengal, alleging that the mandate was stolen through electronic voting machine (EVM) tampering and violence. On Wednesday, she firmly stated that she would not resign from her position as Chief Minister, and her party declared plans to challenge the Assembly election results in court.
Amidst Banerjee’s steadfast refusal to step down, the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal, Manoj Kumar Agarwal, submitted the official notification of the election results to Governor R N Ravi. This step paves the way for the Governor to invite the BJP, which secured an overwhelming victory, to establish the new government.
In addition to his meeting with the Governor, Agarwal also conferred with Chief Secretary Dushyant Nariala. He later informed the media that the Election Commission of India had disseminated the notification of the victorious candidates, and from this point forward, the Governor would make decisions in accordance with constitutional provisions.
A senior official from Lok Bhavan cited Article 172 of the Constitution, explaining that the West Bengal Assembly would automatically dissolve at midnight on May 6 following the completion of its five-year term. The current Council of Ministers may continue to function in a caretaker role until the new administration is inaugurated.
The official elaborated that the Governor could opt to replace the existing government with a caretaker administration, although the new ministers would need to be sworn in. Following the Assembly’s dissolution, the Governor would call upon the largest party to form the new government, which requires the selection of a leader for the legislative party.
BJP insiders indicated that the party’s legislators would elect their leader once Union Home Minister Amit Shah, designated as a central observer for this process, arrives in Kolkata. The swearing-in ceremony is anticipated to occur on Saturday, with the location yet to be confirmed.
In the meantime, Mamata Banerjee and her nephew, Abhishek Banerjee, who serves as the TMC general secretary and a Lok Sabha MP, convened a meeting with the newly elected MLAs at Banerjee’s residence in Kalighat. Out of 80 MLAs, nine were absent from the gathering, which lasted over an hour. Sources indicated that the MLAs were instructed to remain vigilant in their constituencies to prevent post-election violence.
After the meeting, Abhishek Banerjee announced plans to take legal action regarding the election outcomes, emphasizing that post-poll violence persists. He stated that Mamata Banerjee expressed intentions to approach the Supreme Court, alleging EVM tampering and “vote theft” orchestrated by the BJP and the Election Commission.
During the meeting, Mamata Banerjee also urged the MLAs to identify party members who may have undermined the election process. An MLA present reported that she reiterated her commitment to remaining Chief Minister, even if President’s rule is imposed in the state. She claimed that EVMs had been manipulated and recounted an incident of being assaulted at a counting center.
Banerjee expressed her determination to confront the BJP at the national level, stating that the INDIA alliance supported her in this endeavor, and she intends to collaborate with other opposition leaders. SP leader Akhilesh Yadav is scheduled to meet her on Thursday.
Additionally, Abhishek Banerjee instructed the MLAs to file reports of post-poll violence online if local authorities refuse to accept their complaints.
