Seemingly finally accepting a crushing defeat to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the recently concluded West Bengal elections, former chief minister Mamata Banerjee has reportedly urged her party’s Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidates to rebuild the organisation, but with a message for those who wish not to be with her on this journey.
At a meeting with rival TMC candidates at her residence in Kalighat on Friday, attended by national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, Mamata Banerjee said the organization would rise again despite suffering a crushing defeat in the recently concluded Assembly elections, news agency PTI reported.
Her party lost to the BJP in the 2026 state elections after being in power for three terms.
In a message to leaders who want to withdraw from the party’s rebuilding process, Mamata Banerjee said those who wish to withdraw from the Trinamool Congress are free to do so.
“Those who are leaving for other parties, let them go. I will rebuild the party again. And for those who will stay, I say to rebuild, paint and reopen the damaged party offices. If necessary, I will paint them too. Trinamool Congress will never bow down. The people’s mandate has been plundered,” Banerjee was quoted as saying by PTI, quoting sources.
Of the 293 Assembly seats counted by the Election Commission of India on May 4 in the state, the TMC managed to win only 80 seats, a sharp decline from the previous polls’ tally in the state of 215 seats. Bengal has 294 Assembly seats, however, re-poll is scheduled in one constituency – Valtha – on May 21.
Mamata Banerjee herself also lost the seat she contested from – Bhabanipur – long considered her political stronghold.
The TMC has fielded candidates on 291 seats, leaving three seats in Darjeeling Hills to its ally Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) led by Anit Thapa. Of these, only 80 candidates won, while 211 lost, including many heavyweight leaders and ministers.
Inside the meeting
The meeting was held in Kalighat for the candidates presented on the party’s list amid reports of internal discontent and speculation about possible defections after the election result.
The meeting reportedly echoed comments Banerjee made a day after the results were announced – that she was aware that some leaders might switch camps.
She had said in a press conference on May 5: “I know that many will leave for other parties. They may have their own compulsions. I have nothing to say about that. Whoever wants to leave, let him go. I do not believe in preventing anyone by force.”
The TMC’s official X handle later posted pictures of the meeting and praised the rival candidates for their fight during the election campaign.
“Today, our Honorable President @MamataOfficial and Honorable National Secretary @abhishekaitc met our contesting candidates in Kalighat. They fought with unparalleled courage despite facing unimaginable atrocities and relentless intimidation.
“The Trinamool Congress stands united as one family. We will never bow down to those who plunder the mandate of the people. Truth will prevail,” the party posted on its X website on Friday.
The post also highlighted the party’s accusation that the electoral mandate had been “stolen”, an allegation repeatedly raised by junta leaders following the poll results.
Party insiders said that Banerjee used the meeting to raise the morale of the candidates running in the elections and send a message of unity amid a difficult stage that the organization is going through.
