Mamata Banerjee loses Bhabanipur by 15,114 votes, calls BJP win 'immoral'

West Bengal witnessed a day of high drama, sharp political exchanges and emotional scenes as counting for the Assembly elections unfolded on Monday, culminating in a major upset with outgoing chief minister Mamata Banerjee losing the Bhabanipur seat to Suvendu Adhikari by 15,114 votes.

The Bhabanipur contest remained the focal point through the day, with both leaders locked in a closely watched battle. As counting progressed across multiple rounds, trends appeared to mirror a prediction earlier made by Adhikari — that he would take an early lead, fall behind, and then regain momentum after the sixth or seventh round. By the 17th round, he had surged ahead, steadily eroding Banerjee’s initial lead.

Banerjee arrived at the Sakhawat Memorial Government Girls’ High School counting centre in the afternoon amid allegations by the Trinamool Congress that one of its counting agents had been forced out. The atmosphere grew increasingly tense as rival supporters gathered, raising slogans and escalating confrontations.

As she exited the centre later in the evening, Banerjee was met with chants of 'Jai Shree Ram' from BJP supporters celebrating their party’s sweeping performance. A visibly distressed Banerjee addressed reporters, terming the outcome “immoral”. “They have looted more than 100 seats,” she alleged.

In a strongly worded attack, she claimed there had been “serious irregularities in the election process”. “Votes had been rigged and I had been physically assaulted during the day,” she said, adding that her defeat, if confirmed, was the result of coercion rather than a fair contest. Despite the setback, she struck a defiant tone, saying her party would “bounce back” and that she would continue the political fight.

Banerjee also alleged that the “EC's activities with the help of central forces in connivance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were illegal”. She claimed that complaints to Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal had yielded no response.

“The CCTV was switched off while our agents were not allowed to be inside the counting centre,” she further alleged.

Following her remarks, security personnel escorted her away from the premises as tensions remained high. She later left for her residence in Kalighat while counting continued.

Elsewhere, the results signalled significant political churn. In Murshidabad district, the Left Front opened its account, with CPI(M) candidate Mustafizur Rahman, also known as Rana, winning the Domkal seat by 16,232 votes, securing over 107,000 votes and defeating both Trinamool Congress and Congress candidates.

Celebrations broke out among Left supporters following the announcement, with Rahman stating that his priority would be public welfare and development.

The BJP, meanwhile, celebrated what its leaders described as a sweeping victory across several regions. Party leader Swapan Dasgupta said the scale of the win reflected broad-based support. “I believe that concerns about employment, the future of young people, and issues such as corruption and industrial decline had influenced voters,” he said.

In North Bengal, particularly in Alipurduar district, BJP workers marked their success with visible enthusiasm — distributing jhalmuri, bursting firecrackers and applying saffron powder. Similar scenes were reported in Kalchini, where supporters gathered at local crossings to celebrate leads secured by BJP candidates.

Political rhetoric remained sharp. In Panihati, BJP candidate Ratna Debnath thanked voters and promised development, while also referring to demands for justice in the RG Kar case. She said her focus would be on addressing long-standing local concerns.

Former IPS officer and Trinamool leader Humayun Kabir offered a candid assessment of his party’s performance. “Welfare schemes alone were not enough to secure lasting support and voters, including members of the Muslim community, had prioritised dignity and clean governance,” he said, while also accusing the leadership of corruption and a disconnect from grassroots workers.

Kabir also hinted at possible political realignments in the future, suggesting some legislators could switch sides — reflecting the deep divisions and intense rivalry shaping the state’s political landscape.

Describing the outcome as historic, Adhikari called it a “new dawn” for West Bengal, crediting public support and party workers for the result.

As counting continued into the evening, the developments pointed to a decisive turning point in West Bengal politics — marked by a high-stakes contest, serious allegations, celebrations on the ground, and a rapidly shifting political balance.HL: Mamata Banerjee loses Bhabanipur by 15,114 votes, calls BJP win “immoral”
Strap: CM alleges rigging, “looted” mandate in over 100 seats as tensions flare during counting

West Bengal witnessed a day of high drama, sharp political exchanges and emotional scenes as counting for the Assembly elections unfolded on Monday, culminating in a major upset with Mamata Banerjee losing the Bhabanipur seat to Suvendu Adhikari by 15,114 votes.

The Bhabanipur contest remained the focal point through the day, with both leaders locked in a closely watched battle. As counting progressed across multiple rounds, trends appeared to mirror a prediction earlier made by Adhikari — that he would take an early lead, fall behind, and then regain momentum after the sixth or seventh round. By the 17th round, he had surged ahead, steadily eroding Banerjee’s initial lead.

Banerjee arrived at the Sakhawat Memorial Government Girls’ High School counting centre in the afternoon amid allegations by the Trinamool Congress that one of its counting agents had been forced out. The atmosphere grew increasingly tense as rival supporters gathered, raising slogans and escalating confrontations.

As she exited the centre later in the evening, Banerjee was met with chants of “Jai Shree Ram” from BJP supporters celebrating their party’s sweeping performance. A visibly distressed Banerjee addressed reporters, terming the outcome “immoral”. “They have looted more than 100 seats,” she alleged.

In a strongly worded attack, she claimed there had been “serious irregularities in the election process”. “Votes had been rigged and that I had been physically assaulted during the day,” she said, adding that her defeat, if confirmed, was the result of coercion rather than a fair contest. Despite the setback, she struck a defiant tone, saying her party would “bounce back” and that she would continue the political fight.

Banerjee also alleged that the “EC's activities with the help of central forces in connivance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were illegal”. She claimed that complaints to Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal had yielded no response.

“The CCTV was switched off while our agents were not allowed to be inside the counting centre,” she further alleged.

Following her remarks, security personnel escorted her away from the premises as tensions remained high. She later left for her residence in Kalighat while counting continued.

Elsewhere, the results signalled significant political churn. In Murshidabad district, the Left Front opened its account, with CPI(M) candidate Mustafizur Rahman, also known as Rana, winning the Domkal seat by 16,232 votes, securing over 107,000 votes and defeating both Trinamool Congress and Congress candidates.

Celebrations broke out among Left supporters following the announcement, with Rahman stating that his priority would be public welfare and development.

The BJP, meanwhile, celebrated what its leaders described as a sweeping victory across several regions. Party leader Swapan Dasgupta said the scale of the win reflected broad-based support. “I believe that concerns about employment, the future of young people, and issues such as corruption and industrial decline had influenced voters,” he said.

In North Bengal, particularly in Alipurduar district, BJP workers marked their success with visible enthusiasm — distributing jhalmuri, bursting firecrackers and applying saffron powder. Similar scenes were reported in Kalchini, where supporters gathered at local crossings to celebrate leads secured by BJP candidates.

Political rhetoric remained sharp. In Panihati, BJP candidate Ratna Debnath thanked voters and promised development, while also referring to demands for justice in the RG Kar case. She said her focus would be on addressing long-standing local concerns.

Former IPS officer and Trinamool leader Humayun Kabir offered a candid assessment of his party’s performance. “Welfare schemes alone were not enough to secure lasting support and voters, including members of the Muslim community, had prioritised dignity and clean governance,” he said, while also accusing the leadership of corruption and a disconnect from grassroots workers.

Kabir also hinted at possible political realignments in the future, suggesting some legislators could switch sides — reflecting the deep divisions and intense rivalry shaping the state’s political landscape.

Describing the outcome as historic, Adhikari called it a “new dawn” for West Bengal, crediting public support and party workers for the result.

As counting continued into the evening, the developments pointed to a decisive turning point in West Bengal politics — marked by a high-stakes contest, serious allegations, celebrations on the ground, and a rapidly shifting political balance.