West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said Tuesday that BJP supporters and Central Reserve Police Force personnel physically assaulted her following the assembly election results [1].
The allegations come amid a volatile political shift in the state, where Banerjee and her Trinamool Congress (TMC) party faced a significant defeat. The claims of physical violence and systemic rigging suggest a deepening rift between the state leadership and central security forces.
Speaking at a press conference in Kolkata, Banerjee said she was manhandled and kicked in the belly and backside [1]. She said CCTV cameras were intentionally turned off during the incident to hide the assault [1].
Banerjee attributed the violence to a broader campaign of intimidation by the BJP and security forces. She said the BJP is putting everyone in jail only to win polls [2].
The chief minister also challenged the legitimacy of the election results. She said the party fought "villains" rather than the BJP, and alleged that more than 100 seats were stolen [3]. She described the situation as a "murder of democracy" [3].
Specific electoral losses were highlighted during the proceedings. Banerjee was defeated by Suvendu Adhikari by approximately 15,000 votes [1].
Banerjee said the assault and the alleged rigging were part of a coordinated effort to intimidate her and her party after the election loss [1].
“"They kicked me in my belly, backside, and manhandled and assaulted me."”
The allegations by a sitting chief minister against central security forces and a rival party indicate a severe breakdown in trust and institutional stability in West Bengal. By claiming that over 100 seats were stolen and alleging physical assault, Banerjee is framing the election result not as a democratic shift in voter preference, but as a systemic failure and a targeted attack on her leadership.
