Suspended TMC Leader Reveals Why Mamata Banerjee Lost Bengal to BJP

In the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured a decisive mandate, defeating Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress (TMC). The BJP was leading in 182 of the state's 294 seats, comfortably crossing the majority mark in a result that marks a broader erosion of Banerjee's once-invincible political persona in the state.

The Details

According to election trends reported by Zee News and the Election Commission of India, the BJP crossed the majority threshold by leading in 182 seats across the 294-member West Bengal Assembly. The Economic Times reported that the defeat represents a broader erosion of Mamata Banerjee's political persona and personality cult that once looked invincible in West Bengal.

Following the results, Mamata Banerjee accused the Election Commission of India and the BJP of irregularities, according to reports from Zee News and ANI.

Riju Dutta, a suspended TMC leader, publicly identified three core internal issues that he attributed to the party's defeat: control by the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) over the party for the last six months, corruption by lower-level cadres, and disrespect for women. Dutta made the allegations in statements to ANI, as reported by Zee News.

Dutta alleged that I-PAC sent messages instructing TMC members to abuse Suvendu Adhikari and his father. He also claimed that he had traveled to Delhi but was asked to pay a large sum of money in order to contest elections. These allegations carry a medium confidence rating in the fact brief, reflecting their single-source nature.

In his statement to ANI, Dutta said: "The first thing is that the people of Bengal have voted against Trinamool. There is no doubt in this. Secondly, I accept that TMC got 41% votes and the difference in votes between BJP and TMC is just 32 lakhs. There are three major reasons for TMC to lose; the first reason is I-PAC."

Dutta further alleged: "I-PAC has been running the party for the last 6 months... They are sending us messages to abuse Suvendu Adhikari and his father. I went to Delhi but I was asked for a large amount of money."

Dutta put the margin at roughly 32 lakh votes and noted that the TMC had drawn 41 percent support. He identified I-PAC control, corruption by lower-level cadres, and disrespect for women as the principal drivers of the result.

Context

I-PAC, or the Indian Political Action Committee, is a political consultancy firm founded by Prashant Kishor and is frequently hired by political parties for election strategy. Mamata Banerjee, commonly referred to as 'Didi,' has been a dominant force in West Bengal politics for decades, having defeated the Left Front in 2011 to seize power. The result ends more than a decade of Trinamool rule that began with that victory.

The defeat comes after a period in which the TMC faced significant controversies that had already dented its popularity ahead of the 2026 elections. According to The Financial Express, the RG Kar hospital tragedy, teaching recruitment scams, and other controversies weighed on the party's standing with voters.

The fact brief notes conflicting narratives surrounding the cause of the defeat. Mamata Banerjee has alleged irregularities by the Election Commission and the BJP as the reason for the loss. Riju Dutta, conversely, attributes the loss to internal TMC failures. The brief assesses these as competing narratives from opposing political actors, both representing partisan viewpoints.

What's Next

With the BJP now leading in 182 seats and holding a decisive majority, the political landscape in West Bengal is poised for a significant shift. Mamata Banerjee's accusations of irregularities suggest the TMC may pursue formal challenges to the results or continue to frame the defeat as externally influenced.

Meanwhile, Dutta's public allegations about I-PAC interference, internal corruption, and demands for large sums of money to contest elections raise questions about how the Trinamool Congress will manage internal dissent and reorganize following the loss of its lengthy hold on state power. The vote share gap of approximately 32 lakh votes between the two parties indicates a competitive contest, even as the seat count reflects a clear BJP advantage.