Home
+
Published : 07 May 2026, 09:38 AM
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has refused to tender her resignation after her Trinamool Congress party lost to the BJP in the state assembly elections.
She said, “Let them dismiss me. I want today to be marked as a black day. Let the president impose his rule. Let all records be kept.”
Her belligerent attitude has led to uncertainty in the state administration.
In a meeting with the party’s members of the legislative assembly (MLAs) on Wednesday, Mamata said that her party will go to court against the post-election violence that began on Apr 29, reports Indian broadcaster NDTV.
However, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Shuvendu Adhikari, the favourite to become the next chief minister of West Bengal, has insisted that there is no post-election violence in the state.
"Sporadic incidents reported so far have been much less than the post poll violence that happened in 2021. There are some goons are still out there. The BJP led government will take strong action," he said.
On Wednesday, Mamata pushed to boost the morale of Trinamool leaders and activists after the election loss and also issued a warning that a disciplinary committee has been formed to take action against leaders who speak out against the party.
She also aims to keep the party in protest mode, declaring that the first day of the assembly session will be a “black dress day”.
The 71-year-old Trinamool leader has been blaming the Election Commission for her party’s defeat, accusing it of “dirty play” and drawing comparisons to elections in Maharashtra, Haryana and Bihar.
Mamata’s defiance regarding resignation has stirred a buzz in Delhi. Legal experts and political leaders are combing through the provisions of the Constitution and India’s laws, but there seems to be no standard procedure or guidelines for such a situation.
Experts, however, believe that the governor can dismiss the chief minister if necessary because the chief minister remains in office at the pleasure of the governor and can remain in charge until the current assembly is dissolved.
The West Bengal assembly’s term ends on Thursday, May 7. As a result, there is no time to find a legal solution. Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has demanded Mamata’s dismissal by the governor.
Legally, no chief minister can hold the post without the confidence of the assembly. Since the BJP has won the majority in the elections, the governor can invite the BJP to form a new government as per the constitution.
Another option is the possibility of imposing presidential rule in the state if Mamata remains adamant about not stepping down. However, Election Commission officials believe that this may not be necessary.
