Mamata to challenge poll results in SC

Mamata Banerjee, outgoing West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress supremo, yesterday announced plans to take the 2026 West Bengal poll mandate to the Supreme Court, alleging major electoral malpractice by the BJP and the Election Commission of India.

A day after refusing to resign, Mamata, addressing a closed-door meeting with newly elected party legislators at her Kalighat residence, declared she would not step down under any circumstances and was prepared to face dismissal if required.

She said even the imposition of President’s Rule would not deter her, framing her stance as a form of political protest intended to leave a lasting institutional record.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP defeated TMC, which has ruled West Bengal since 2011, securing 206 of 294 seats. The TMC tally fell to 80 from 215, with Mamata herself losing her seat.

Under the constitution, the state’s governor can seek Mamata’s resignation or wait for her term to expire, after which newly elected lawmakers will be sworn in, and the process of forming a new government will begin.

Mamata’s term is set to end on Thursday.

The BJP-led government will be sworn in on Saturday (May 9) in the presence of Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP West Bengal President Samik Bhattacharya said yesterday.

Mamata’s challenge to the outcome is rooted in allegations of widespread irregularities. According to her, nearly 100 assembly seats witnessed what she described as systematic manipulation, leading to the defeat of her party’s candidates. A key element of her argument centres on technical anomalies during counting.

She cited reports from party agents present at counting centres, alleging Electronic Voting Machines retained unusually high battery levels -- around 90 to 92 percent by the end of counting. She suggested such figures are inconsistent with normal operations, raising questions about potential tampering of the machines.

While these claims remain contentious and subject to verification, they form a central pillar of the legal case her party intends to present before the apex court.

Meanwhile, the political atmosphere in the state has remained tense since the results were announced on Monday, with sporadic violence reported across several districts. At least four deaths have been confirmed so far.

In Kolkata, tensions flared in the New Market area during victory processions, with reports of damage to local establishments. Elsewhere, districts such as South 24 Parganas, Nadia, Murshidabad, Howrah, and parts of North 24 Parganas, including Barasat, witnessed clashes between rival groups.

In several instances, party offices were targeted, and residential properties were reportedly damaged.

BJP state leader Samik told AFP two of the party’s workers were killed after the results were announced, insisting the party is “for peace”.

The TMC, in a social media statement, reported the killing of two party workers.

“Our party offices were attacked in several areas of the state,” TMC spokesperson Narendranath Chakraborty told AFP.

A senior police officer, who was not authorised to speak to reporters, confirmed four deaths in clashes and said one officer had been shot in the leg.