Kolkata, May 5: Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee has formally contested the outcome of the Bhabanipur Assembly election, characterizing the result as a “stolen mandate.” In a recorded conversation released by TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee, the Chief Minister asserted that the counting process was compromised by external interference and the forced evacuation of her party’s representatives.
The contest concluded with BJP candidate Suvendu Adhikari securing a victory by 15,105 votes, following a dramatic shift in the final stages of the 20-round tally. While Banerjee maintained a lead of over 17,000 votes by the seventh round, the margin narrowed significantly after the 14th round. The Chief Minister stated that she held the lead until the 16th round, at which point the environment inside the counting center turned volatile.
“A few goons entered the counting centre… they beat me up and threw my agents away with the help of CRPF,” Banerjee affirmed during the shared telephonic discussion. She maintained that she was barred from entering the hall during a critical phase of the process. The TMC leadership has accused the Election Commission and central security forces of operating under federal instructions to benefit the opposition.
Further allegations involve the improper handling of electronic voting machines, with Banerjee stating that units were moved to strong rooms without being properly sealed. She noted that power disruptions and chaos were used as a cover to manipulate the final tally. The Chief Minister declared that all evidence of these irregularities has been documented for a legal challenge, describing the event not as a political victory but as an “unethical dirty game.”
