Saugata Roy, a Trinamool Congress (TMC) Member of Parliament, said on April 29 that Mamata Banerjee will become Chief Minister for a fourth term [1].
The statement comes as political parties and voters await official results in West Bengal, where conflicting exit poll data has created a divide between party projections and independent reporting.
Roy said that the TMC will perform very well and that high voter turnout benefits his party. He said that this turnout is a reaction against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) due to public anger regarding the role of the Election Commission [1].
"TMC will do very well. High voter turnout is in favour of TMC," Roy said. "It is against the BJP because people are angry with the role of the Election Commission, which is in a conspiracy with the BJP... I am confident that Mamata Banerjee will become Chief Minister for the fourth time" [1, 2].
Roy's confidence contrasts with other available data. Some exit poll updates have suggested a slight edge for the BJP, indicating a potential upset for the incumbent Chief Minister [3]. Additionally, reports citing Suvendu Adhikari suggest the BJP is projected to win over 180 seats [4].
Other TMC officials have also dismissed unfavorable projections. Derek O'Brien, a Rajya Sabha member, said the TMC rubbishes exit polls that predict a BJP lead in Bengal [5].
The TMC maintains that the electoral momentum remains in their favor, despite the contradictory numbers reported by various polling agencies [1, 2].
“"I am confident that Mamata Banerjee will become Chief Minister for the fourth time"”
The disparity between the TMC's internal confidence and independent exit polls highlights a volatile electoral climate in West Bengal. By attributing voter turnout to a 'conspiracy' between the Election Commission and the BJP, the TMC is framing the election not just as a policy contest, but as a referendum on institutional fairness.
