Mamata Banerjee urges TMC workers to hold firm as BJP leads in 190+ seats
Synopsis
With BJP leading in over 190 seats, Mamata Banerjee went on the offensive — releasing a video urging TMC workers to hold their ground and alleging a coordinated BJP-ECI plan to suppress her party's leads. Her defiant message, delivered at 12.30 pm, signals that the TMC is contesting not just the ballot but the counting process itself.
Key Takeaways
Mamata Banerjee posted a video on 4 May at 12.30 pm as vote counting was underway in West Bengal .
BJP candidates were leading in over 190 assembly seats at the time of her message.
Banerjee alleged counting was halted in nearly 100 constituencies after just two to three rounds.
She claimed TMC candidates were leading in another 100 seats whose results were not being declared.
The Chief Minister accused the Election Commission of India of acting on "whims and fancies" and misusing Central and state forces.
TMC workers were urged to "fight till the end like tigers" and not leave counting centres before final results.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee released a video message on Monday, 4 May amid ongoing vote counting, asserting that "ultimately Trinamool Congress will have the last laugh." The message, posted on her X (formerly Twitter) handle at around 12.30 pm, came at a moment when Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates were leading in over 190 assembly seats.
Key Appeal to Candidates and Counting Agents
The All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo urged all her party candidates and counting agents to remain at their respective counting centres until the final round. "Stick to your respective counting centres, counting rooms and counting tables till the end. I am assuring you that we will be winning at sunset," Banerjee said in the video.
She urged workers not to be disheartened, adding: "We are all with you. We will win finally. Be assured. Do not be scared. Fight till the end like tigers."
Banerjee's Allegations Against BJP and ECI
Chief Minister Banerjee alleged that the BJP had a pre-planned strategy to project early leads. "This is the BJP's plan. This I have been saying since Sunday. In the initial rounds, it will be shown that the BJP candidates are ahead in a majority of the assembly constituencies," she said. She further claimed that in "almost 100 assembly constituencies, they have stopped counting after the first two to three rounds."
Banerjee also alleged that TMC candidates were leading in another 100 seats whose results were not being announced, calling it "total misinformation." She accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of acting on "its own whims and fancies" and of misusing both Central and state forces throughout the election process.
Voter Deletion and Force Deployment Charges
The Chief Minister further alleged that a number of voters had been deleted during the special intensive revision process. She noted that at the time of her message, even the state police were operating under the control of the ECI. She also accused Central forces of "harassing and assaulting" TMC workers in different parts of West Bengal.
Notably, these are serious allegations directed at a constitutional body; the Election Commission of India had not issued an immediate public response to her claims at the time of this report.
Context and What to Watch
The vote count was still in progress across multiple rounds when Banerjee issued the message, and she stressed that the final picture would only emerge after all rounds were completed. This is not the first time TMC has raised concerns about Central force deployment during elections in West Bengal — similar allegations have featured in previous assembly and by-poll cycles. The final tally will determine whether Banerjee's confidence was vindicated or whether the BJP's early leads translated into seats.
Point of View
Part pre-emptive narrative management. By alleging ECI bias and counting manipulation before results are finalised, she creates a political cushion: if TMC loses badly, the groundwork for a disputed outcome is already laid. What is striking is the specificity of her claims — 100 seats halted, 100 leads suppressed — numbers precise enough to sound credible but unverifiable in real time. The ECI's silence in the immediate aftermath only amplifies the ambiguity. Whether these allegations hold up to scrutiny will matter far beyond this election cycle, given West Bengal's history of post-poll political violence.
NationPress
10 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Mamata Banerjee say in her video message on 4 May?
Mamata Banerjee released a video on 4 May 2025 asserting that 'Trinamool Congress will have the last laugh' and urging party candidates and counting agents to remain at counting centres until the final round. She alleged that BJP was executing a pre-planned strategy to show early leads and accused the Election Commission of India of bias.
Why did Mamata Banerjee release the video during counting?
Banerjee released the video at around 12.30 pm when BJP candidates were leading in over 190 seats, reportedly to prevent TMC workers from losing morale and abandoning counting centres. She claimed the early BJP leads were part of a deliberate plan and that TMC was actually ahead in 100 seats not being announced.
What allegations did Mamata Banerjee make against the Election Commission of India?
She accused the ECI of acting on 'its own whims and fancies,' misusing Central and state forces, and allowing counting to be halted in nearly 100 constituencies after just two to three rounds. She also alleged that voters had been deleted during the special intensive revision process.
Who is affected by Mamata Banerjee's appeal?
Her appeal was directed at TMC candidates and counting agents across West Bengal assembly constituencies. She asked them not to leave counting centres, counting rooms, or counting tables until all rounds were completed.
What happens next after Mamata Banerjee's video message?
The final seat tally from the West Bengal count will determine whether Banerjee's confidence was justified. Her allegations against the ECI and BJP are likely to be taken up formally if TMC contests the results, potentially leading to legal or procedural challenges.
