Following the Bharatiya Janata Party’s sweeping victory in the West Bengal Assembly elections, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee has called for the formation of a united opposition platform to challenge the BJP both in West Bengal and at the national level.
Addressing supporters in Kolkata, Banerjee appealed to opposition parties, student organisations, civil society groups, and Left forces to come together against what she described as a “reign of terror” under the BJP.
She stated that all anti-BJP parties should unite under a common platform and said she remains open to discussions with political leaders across the country.
TMC Preparing for Legal Battle
Banerjee also hinted at a major legal challenge following the election results. The TMC chief claimed that her party would fight what she alleged were irregularities during the election process and vote counting.
She said senior legal experts, including Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Prashant Bhushan, and Menaka Guruswamy, were supporting the legal efforts.
Banerjee also pointed out that she herself has a legal background and expressed confidence that the party knows “how to fight this battle.”
BJP Registers Massive Win in West Bengal
The BJP secured a historic mandate in the West Bengal Assembly elections by winning 207 seats in the 294-member Assembly, while the TMC was reduced to 80 seats.
Despite the defeat, Banerjee earlier refused to resign immediately from the chief minister’s post and alleged that the BJP, Election Commission, and Central Armed Police Forces were involved in manipulating the counting process.
Meanwhile, the BJP formed its first government in West Bengal with a swearing-in ceremony held at Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata.
Opposition Leaders Reach Out to Mamata Banerjee
Banerjee claimed that several senior opposition leaders from across India contacted her after the election results. According to her, she spoke with Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Uddhav Thackeray, Tejashwi Yadav, Akhilesh Yadav, Hemant Soren, and Arvind Kejriwal.
She said the opposition must remain united to counter the BJP politically and legally in the coming months.
BJP Responds to Mamata’s Remarks
Reacting to Banerjee’s statements, BJP spokesperson Debjit Sarkar said the party was focused on governance and development rather than responding to leaders who had “lost relevance” in Bengal politics.
He added that the BJP government’s priority would be development and constructive governance in the state.
