4 min readKolkataUpdated: May 25, 2026 05:33 AM IST
In her first major public address via Facebook Live since her party lost power in West Bengal, Trinamool Congress (TMC) chairperson Mamata Banerjee on Sunday launched a scathing attack on the new BJP government, accusing it of unleashing “bulldozer politics” and altering the election outcome through “massive institutional rigging”.
“Was this truly an election, or merely a mockery in the name of democracy?” the former chief minister asked as she detailed widespread poll irregularities, claiming that nearly one crore voters’ names were deleted from the electoral roll through the Election Commission’s “logical discrepancy” model.
Alleging that Opposition agents were forcibly removed from counting halls, she said,” BJP workers entered counting centres wearing uniforms of the Central forces, and our agents’ ID cards were snatched away… We would have won over 200 seats, but the outcome was altered. If they had truly won, why is there no celebration among the people?”
She said the TMC would pursue legal remedies in constituencies where questions remained over the conduct of elections.
Condemning the ongoing anti-encroachment and eviction drives targeting street vendors and hawkers in Kolkata and nearby areas, Mamata said the administration was operating through brute force.
“Today, the protector has become the predator… Municipal councillors are being arrested every day. The (Kolkata) Mayor and the chairman are kept unaware, yet the corporation is making decisions without any hearings. Those shouting ‘chor, chor (thief, thief) are all outsiders who do not understand the culture of Bengal. That is why bulldozer politics is being used,” the TMC supremo said, referring to demolition notices sent to several party leaders.
She called the demolition of a statue near Salt Lake Stadium that was conceptualised and designed by her, and the tearing down of party offices a “personal vendetta”.
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Contrasting the BJP government’s coming to power with her own, after having ended Left Front’s over two-decade rule in 2011, Mamata said, “In my administration, 30 per cent of panchayats were under the control of the Opposition parties, but we never forced them to stop working. Now, even the Kolkata Municipal Corporation is not being allowed to function properly.”
“After coming to power in 2011, we ensured Rabindra Sangeet was played. But this time, even Rabindra Jayanti was not observed properly,” she said.
Accusing the BJP of using political pressure and intimidation against opponents, she said, “The more the BJP tortures TMC in Bengal, the more problems it will face in New Delhi… Our party workers and elected representatives are being tortured and intimidated, but we are holding on.”
She also accused the BJP government of failing to deliver on key welfare schemes while repackaging old financial policies. She stated that people have stopped receiving Lakshmir Bhandar benefits, and claimed that the government’s current budgetary promises regarding Dearness Allowance (DA) and Pay Commission implementations are merely “old promises repackaged in new bottles”.
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Addressing the concerns of the minority community in the state following the government’s animal slaughter and loudspeaker guidelines, she said, “I know they (BJP) don’t like the Muslim community… but sound decibel levels could have been regulated. A common rule could have been applied to everyone. No one has the right to take away people’s freedom.”
Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his call for austerity measures, she said, “Instead of gifting chocolates to Italy’s Prime Minister, he could have given them to children. They speak about saving fuel while travelling abroad, yet people are being advised not to buy gold or use cars.”
She said members of the INDIA bloc were likely to meet in the first week of June to discuss a joint strategy, while asserting that the Opposition camp was prepared for a prolonged political battle.
“We are ready to fight, and we will not give up till the end,” Banerjee said, adding that from now on she would be communicating through Facebook Live.
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“Those who are watching me on Facebook Live today, I want to tell them that I will speak to you through Facebook Live only. Now, no media is of the people. It is Godi media… My weapon is my Facebook Live… Keep a watch on our party’s social media handles,” she said as she signed off.
