'Immoral, illegal': Mamata Banerjee alleges BJP 'looted' more than 100 seats; vows to 'bounce back'

NEW DELHI: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee alleged that the BJP’s sweeping victory in the state assembly elections was “immoral” and “illegal”, claiming that more than 100 seats were “looted”, even as the party surged ahead in results declared on Monday.Speaking to reporters at the Bhabanipur counting centre, Banerjee accused the Election Commission, Central Forces, and top BJP leadership of wrongdoing, while the BJP secured a decisive lead in over 200 seats across the state.Addressing the media, Banerjee launched a sharp attack on the Election Commission and the BJP as she accused, "More than 100 seats BJP looted. The Election Commission is the BJP's commission. I complained to the CO and also Manoj Agrawal, but they are not doing anything. Do you think this is a victory? It is an immoral victory, not a moral victory. Whatever the Election Commission has done, along with the Central Forces and the PM & home minister, is totally illegal. It is loot, loot, loot. We will bounce back."She further alleged irregularities during counting, claiming that violence broke out and her party was targeted."From 3 pm onwards, they have been beating us. I was hit. CCTV was switched off. None of our agents was allowed inside (the counting centre). The DO assured me our agents would be allowed, but after that, he was not available anywhere. I complained everywhere," she said.Banerjee reiterated her allegations as she left the counting centre at Sakhawat Memorial Government Girls' High School, where she had gone amid claims that a Trinamool Congress counting agent had been forced out.She said, "We will bounce back," while maintaining that the mandate had been compromised.Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, also doubled down on Mamata's remark, calling the Assam and West Bengal elections "stolen by BJP with the support of EC."In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi wrote, "Assam and Bengal are clear cases of the election being stolen by the BJP with the support of the EC. We agree with Mamata ji. More than 100 seats were stolen in Bengal. We have seen this playbook before: Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra, Lok Sabha 2024, etc."He ended his remarks with, "Chunav chori, sanstha chori - ab aur chara hi kya hai! (Stealing elections, stealing institutions—what other option is left now!)"The BJP’s surge marks a significant jump from its 77-seat tally in the previous assembly elections, reflecting an aggressive campaign that targeted the ruling Trinamool Congress on multiple issues and expanded its voter base across the state.The BJP is secured 207 seats in the 294-member assembly, marking a historic breakthrough in a state where it was once a marginal player. The Trinamool Congress, which has been in power for 15 years, has won 80 seats. Congress is poised to win two seats, while the Aam Janata Unnayan Party has secured two. The All India Secular Front and CPI(M) are leading in one seat each.In the high-profile Bhabanipur constituency, Banerjee is locked in a close contest with BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari. According to the latest Election Commission data, she has polled 48,671 votes and is leading by 3,830 votes after 14 rounds of counting.