Rahul Gandhi said he agrees with Mamata Banerjee that more than 100 seats [1] were stolen during the 2026 West Bengal assembly election.
The allegations suggest a large-scale manipulation of the democratic process in one of India's most politically volatile states. If these claims of systematic irregularities are substantiated, they could trigger widespread legal challenges and civil unrest following the BJP's victory.
Gandhi said he supports the Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader's charges of a stolen mandate. "I agree with Mamata Banerjee – more than 100 seats have been stolen in West Bengal," Gandhi said [1]. He said the situation was a case where the people's mandate was hijacked.
"The people’s mandate has been hijacked; this is a clear case of vote theft," Gandhi said [2].
The claims come amid a significant shift in the state's political landscape. The BJP crossed the halfway mark of seats in West Bengal [3], a result that represents a major blow to the TMC.
Specific losses for the TMC leadership were also reported during the counting process. Mamata Banerjee lost her seat in Bhabanipur by more than 15,000 votes [3] to Suvendu Adhikari. This loss occurred as part of a broader sweep by the BJP across the state's assembly constituencies.
Both Gandhi and Banerjee said the election outcome was manipulated through systematic irregularities. While the BJP has secured a majority of the seats [3], the opposition leaders continue to challenge the legitimacy of the final count.
“"I agree with Mamata Banerjee – more than 100 seats have been stolen in West Bengal."”
The alignment between the Congress and TMC on these allegations signals a coordinated effort by opposition forces to challenge the BJP's mandate in West Bengal. By framing the BJP's victory as 'vote theft' rather than a political shift, these leaders are attempting to delegitimize the new government and potentially pave the way for judicial reviews or mass protests.
