In a dramatic political development following the 2026 Assembly election results in West Bengal, outgoing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday refused to tender her resignation, asserting that while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may have won officially, the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) had secured a “moral victory.”

Addressing the media a day after the results, Banerjee declared that she would not visit Raj Bhavan to step down. “I will not resign, I did not lose, I will not go to Raj Bhavan…The question doesn’t arise. No. Now, I also want to say that we didn’t lose the election. It is their attempt to defeat us. Officially, through the Election Commission, they can defeat us, but morally we won the election,” Mamata Banerjee said.

The BJP registered a sweeping victory, securing 207 seats in the 293-member Assembly, while the TMC was reduced to 80 seats, ending its 15-year rule in the state.

Striking a defiant tone, Banerjee said she would now focus on strengthening the opposition bloc, aligning herself with the broader INDIA alliance. She stated that she no longer holds any official position and described herself as a “commoner” and a “free bird,” vowing to continue working for the people.

Banerjee also revealed that several opposition leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal, Uddhav Thackeray, Akhilesh Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav and Hemant Soren had extended their support following the results, signalling efforts to consolidate opposition unity in the coming days.

Launching a sharp attack on the election process, the TMC chief accused the Election Commission of bias and alleged large-scale irregularities. “Sad to say, CEC became the villain of this election to loot the democratic rights of the people and to loot the EVM. Can you tell me that after voting EVM has 80-90% charge? How is it possible? Two days before the election, they started arresting our people. They started raiding everywhere. They changed all IPS and IAS officers,” she said.

She also alleged mass deletion of voter names, and accused authorities of targeting TMC workers through arrests and raids ahead of polling. She further alleged direct interference by top central leadership.

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“They selected people from their party and BJP played the game directly with the Election Commission. It is a betting between the BJP and the Election Commission. We fought against all machinery. PM and HM are also involved, direct interference. They deleted 90 lakh names in the SIR. When we went to court, 32 lakh names were included…They played dirty, nasty and mischievous games. I have never seen this type of election in my life,” she added.

The controversy intensified as Banerjee levelled serious allegations regarding the counting process in the high-profile Bhabanipur constituency, where she lost the election. She claimed that despite leading by around 30,000 votes with a few rounds remaining, the process was disrupted, and her party’s counting agents were allegedly assaulted and forced out.

She further alleged that she was physically manhandled when she attempted to enter the counting centre, claiming that CCTV cameras were switched off during the incident.

“After the first round of counting, they started saying that the BJP is getting 195-200. You didn’t wait for the final result. You didn’t even wait for 5-6 rounds. After that campaign with the press media, the BJP went inside the polling station and they started beating the people, counting agents. When I came to know that all counting agents are withdrawn, I was leading by about 30,000 and about 5 rounds were left. We should have got more than 32,000. Then the BJP candidate went inside along with 200 CRPF personnel and 200 outside goons, then they beat up our people,” she alleged.

“Even women were not spared and they snatched away all forms. When I came to know, I went there. They stopped my car but I took another route. When I entered, CRPF told me that I was not allowed to go. I said that I am a candidate…Then I complained to the RO that counting should be stopped immediately until normalcy is restored. I saw the DEO. I know that he gave a message to someone 15 days ago that ‘counting mein khel hoga’…I went inside for a few minutes. They kicked me in my belly, backside and manhandled and assaulted me. That time CCTV was off,” she further alleged.

Meanwhile, the BJP has begun preparations to form its first-ever government in West Bengal, marking a historic shift in the state’s political trajectory.

(with inputs from ANI)