West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the Election Commission colluded with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP during the 2026 assembly elections.
These allegations challenge the legitimacy of the state's electoral outcome and signal a deepening conflict between the Trinamool Congress and the central government. If the claims of systemic fraud are pursued, they could lead to widespread legal challenges and civil unrest in the region.
Speaking Monday at the Bhabanipur constituency counting centre, Banerjee said the election process was "immoral, illegal" [2]. She said the BJP looted more than 100 seats [3].
Banerjee said the Election Commission selectively applied rules to benefit the BJP. She specifically pointed to the use of the term "logical discrepancy," saying there is no officially recognised term like that in the commission framework [1]. She said this term is being applied in Bengal, unlike in Bihar, to benefit the BJP [1].
According to reports, Banerjee said irregularities were introduced through collusion with the Prime Minister's office [4, 5]. She said the process was designed to ensure a specific outcome for the ruling party.
During the events at the Bhabanipur counting centre, Banerjee said she had been assaulted by the BJP [6]. However, other reports of the event did not mention a physical assault [2, 4].
Despite the results, the TMC chairperson said the party will bounce back [7].
“"Immoral, illegal"”
The allegations by Mamata Banerjee suggest a fundamental breakdown of trust between the West Bengal state government and the federal Election Commission. By claiming that over 100 seats were 'looted,' the TMC is framing the 2026 results not as a democratic shift, but as a systemic failure. This sets the stage for a prolonged legal battle over the validity of the mandate and may increase political polarization within the state.
