WB government formation highlights: BJP's first-ever Bengal govt oath on May 9, legislative leader decision on May 8

West Bengal CM announcement LIVE: Outgoing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee addressed a meeting of newly-elected MLAs of her party and stated she will not resign from her post in the wake of assembly poll results and the Centre can dismiss her, Trinamool Congress sources said on Wednesday.

They said Mamata Banerjee stated that party candidates "were forcefully defeated" in the polls and alleged that over 1500 Trinamool Congress offices "were hijacked".

She also said that there is greater unity in the INDIA bloc after the Bengal poll results.

She alleged that the state did not witness an election "but an atrocity" and claimed that Trinamool Congress had "morally" defeated BJP in the polls.

The Trinamool Congress leader said she will continue her fight. "After the Bengal INDIA team is united now. I won't resign. Let them dismiss me. I want this to be a black day. We have to be strong. On the first day of the Assembly, wear black clothes. Those who betrayed will be removed from the party. I am laughing. I defeated them morally. I am a free bird. I worked for all. We might have lost but we will fight. HM and PM are directly involved," Mamata Banerjee said according to Trinamool Congress sources.

The sources said Mamata Banerjee alleged that she was "heckled and pushed".

via ANI

West Bengal CM announcement LIVE: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Ravi Shankar Prasad on Wednesday criticised Mamata Banerjee for refusing to resign after her party's electoral defeat, saying she must accept the verdict with humility and warned that the "nation will never forgive" such a stance.

Prasad emphasised that the Bengal Legislative Assembly's term expires on the 8th, making it impossible to extend her tenure beyond that date, underscoring the constitutional limits to her position.

Speaking to the reporters, Prasad said, "Mamata Banerjee has lost, and she should accept this defeat with humility... Yet now, she is stating that she will not resign. What is the meaning of this? To what extent do you intend to weaken the country's democracy? The nation will never forgive you. In any case, according to the Constitution, the term of the Bengal Legislative Assembly itself is set to expire on the 8th. It cannot be extended even a single day beyond that date. Once the Legislative Assembly dissolves, your tenure effectively comes to an end as well."

via ANI

West Bengal CM announcement LIVE: The Opposition on Wednesday supported West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's refusal to quit, with Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut calling it a part of her protest against the Centre and the Election Commission of India.

Maharashtra minister and senior BJP leader Mangal Prabhat Lodha said her decision not to resign even after defeat in the assembly polls would amount to disregarding constitutional norms. The "nationalist" people of Bengal have taught her a strong lesson, he said.

Speaking to reporters earlier in the day, Raut asserted that it was necessary to unite against the "dictatorship of the Centre and partisan behaviour of the Election Commission". The poll body has become a "slave" of the Centre, the Rajya Sabha member charged.

The Opposition has to decide whether it has to contest the polls or not, he said.

"Mamata Banerjee not resigning is part of her agitation against the government (Centre), the Election Commission (EC) and a series of acts against democracy," Raut said.

via PTI

West Bengal CM announcement LIVE: The BJP on Wednesday alleged that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal was attempting to incite post-poll violence by disguising its workers as BJP supporters using symbols of the saffron party to malign it.

BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra asserted that its cadres have never indulged in violence after an election victory. He claimed that reports in sections of the media and newspapers suggested that TMC workers were carrying BJP flags and wearing party scarves while attempting to disturb the atmosphere in the state.

"In all the states where our government is in power, we have never resorted to violence against anyone. We are seeing reports that TMC workers, in several places, are wearing BJP scarves and carrying BJP flags while trying to carry out arson and disturb the atmosphere," he told reporters here, responding to questions on violence in West Bengal after the assembly election results.

Claiming that the TMC is acting out of "frustration", Patra said the ruling party "can go to any extent". The BJP MP noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged party workers to avoid revenge politics and work towards development.

via PTI

West Bengal CM announcement LIVE: Senior TMC leaders and newly-elected MLAs gathered at outgoing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's residence here on Wednesday evening for a meeting to discuss their strategy and allocation of responsibilities following the party's setback in the West Bengal assembly elections.

TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee was also present.

TMC spokesperson and Beliaghata MLA Kunal Ghosh said all decisions regarding our future responsibilities rest with Mamata Banerjee.

"Who will get which responsibility and what assignment will be given to whom, that is entirely Didi's decision, and all of us will abide by it. Whatever decision she takes will be final," Ghosh told reporters after the meeting.

He said the party still believes the BJP's victory was not proper, alleging manipulation and claiming that the Election Commission was part and parcel of the saffron party's result.

via PTI

West Bengal CM announcement LIVE: TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee may approach the Supreme Court as she continues to allege that the polls were rigged, India Today reported. Mamata has refused to resign and maintains that the polls that uprooted her party from Bengal after 15 years were not fair. The BJP led the charts against the TMC with a historic win of 207 out of 294 seats.

West Bengal CM announcement LIVE: Here is what has been happening in Bengal since May 4, when votes were counted for the Assembly elections:

-The TMC, which had been in power since 15 years, faced a crushing defeat at the hands of the BJP which secured 207 out of 294, leaving the Mamata-led party with just 80 seats.

-TMC supremo Mamata accused the BJP of poll rigging, with opposition leaders such as Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav backing her claim.

-A defiant Mamata has refused to resign as she maintains that the polls were rigged.

-Security deployment outside Mamata and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee's residence has been slashed.

-Bengal DGP Siddh Nath Gupta said the security has not been withdrawn, the extra deployment has been removed and is being used for law and order in the state.

-There have been reports of post-poll violence in Bengal, with the TMC alleging that BJP workers demolished some meat shops in a Kolkata market using bulldozers.

-Several former bureaucrats, journalists and economists have resigned after TMC's poll debacle.

-The BJP is going to hold its legislative party on May 8 to elect the party leader.

-The oath ceremony for first-ever Bengal government will be held on May 9 in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah.

West Bengal CM announcement LIVE: Senior West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, including State President Samik Bhattacharya, on Wednesday announced that the party will hold a legislative party meeting on May 8 at 4 pm to elect its legislative leader, followed by a swearing-in ceremony scheduled for May 9 at 10 am.

He further mentioned that the swearing-in ceremony would be attended by the Prime Minister, Home Minister, and other senior leaders of the party.

Speaking after a meeting at Nabanna ahead of government formation, Bhattacharya said, "On 8th May at 4 pm, a legislative party meeting will be held. The leader of the legislative party will be elected. On 9th May at 10 am, PM, HM, Union Health Minister, our national president, all senior leaders of the BJP and CMs of 20 states will attend the ceremony (swearing-in ceremony)."

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to visit West Bengal on Thursday evening as part of the party's ongoing post-election political engagements following its historic performance in the state.

via ANI

West Bengal CM announcement LIVE: “Even though I am not a political person, the appointments were political appointments. I was appointed by then chief minister Mamata Banerjee. As she has lost, I have no moral right to continue,” said economist Abhirup Sarkar, who has held several positions in committees, commissions and corporations in the past. Sarkar was among several former bureaucrats, journalists and economists who stepped down after TMC's poll debacle.

West Bengal CM announcement LIVE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah are likely to attend the oath ceremony of Bengal's first-ever BJP government on May 9, PTI reported, citing state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya.

"The new BJP government will take oath on May 9 at 10 am at Brigade Parade Ground," Bhattacharya told reporters.

Significantly, the swearing-in ceremony will be held on the 25th day of Baisakh in the Bengali calendar--observed across the state as Rabindra Jayanti, the birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore-- lending the event a layer of cultural symbolism.

According to state BJP sources, the choice of the date is being seen in political circles as an attempt by the BJP to embed its historic rise within Bengal's cultural imagination and counter the TMC's long-standing portrayal of the saffron party as a "party of outsiders" disconnected from Bengal's linguistic and intellectual ethos.

West Bengal CM announcement LIVE: The BJP swept seats reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) in Assam and West Bengal in the assembly poll results announced on Monday, marking a strong consolidation across reserved constituencies and a political realignment.

BJP allies in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry performed relatively strongly on seats reserved for SCs and STs.

The BJP won 75 per cent of seats reserved for Scheduled Castes in West Bengal and swept all 16 Scheduled Tribe seats.

The performance of the BJP and its allies in Assam reflects a strong consolidation across reserved constituencies.

-ANI

West Bengal CM announcement LIVE: Several former bureaucrats and advisors appointed by outgoing West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee have tendered their resignations following the Trinamool Congress’s (TMC) defeat in the West Bengal assembly elections, even as the outgoing chief minister has refused to step down.

The list includes former chief secretaries Alapan Bandyopadhyay, HK Dwivedi and Manoj Pant, as well as economist Abhirup Sarkar.

“I was the chairperson of the West Bengal Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation (WBIDC) and the West Bengal Small Industries Development Corporation (WBSIDC). I have already tendered my resignation to the secretaries of the concerned departments on Tuesday,” Sarkar told HT on Wednesday.

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West Bengal CM announcement LIVE: West Bengal DGP on Wednesday said that no security of TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee or her nephew MP Abhishek Banerjee has been withdrawn, only the extra deployment has been removed. “Z+ category security was provided to the MP (Abhishek Banerjee) and Mamata Banerjee. The force deployment for the Z+ category is very categorically mentioned in Yellow Book. We are deploying the force according to the prescription that has been given in the Yellow Book for the Z+ category protectee. Extra deployment beyond that has been withdrawn and we are using it for law and order. So, in a nutshell, there has been no withdrawal of any security. Security is as per protocol as given in the Yellow Book,” he said.

West Bengal CM announcement LIVE: Norwegian diplomat Erik Solheim on Wednesday praised the BJP's massive victory in the West Bengal and Assam polls, saying that it was time "the West appreciates Indian democracy".

He also criticised sections of Western media for portraying Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a threat to democracy and describing his policies as "Hindu extremism".

In a series of posts on X, Norway's former environment minister said that at a time when US and European democracies are threatened, India should be looked at for inspiration, not fear.

"Big victory for Prime Minister Modi in India's state elections. It's time the West appreciates the strength of Indian democracy!," he said.

Solheim also highlighted the high voter turnout in polls, saying the BJP won a massive victory in state elections in West Bengal and Assam.

West Bengal CM announcement LIVE:The security arrangements outside the residences of outgoing chief minister Mamata Banerjee and his nephew Abhishek Banerjee were scaled down on Wednesday morning, two days after the ouster of the 15-year-old Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in the West Bengal assembly elections. “Police arrangements outside three premises – 188A Harish Chatterjee, 121 Kalighat Road and 9 Camac Street – have been scaled down from 6:30am on Wednesday. Some of the security arrangements like scissor barricades were replaced by manual guardrails on Tuesday,” said a police officer aware of the developments.

While 188A Harish Chatterjee was the residence of Mamata Banerjee, 121 Kalighat Road was the party’s headquarters. Abhishek Banerjee’s office was located at 9 Camac Street.

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West Bengal CM announcement LIVE: BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, who defeated West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur and secured Nandigram for a third term in the recent assembly polls, said on Wednesday that he would vacate one of the two constituencies within 10 days.

He also asserted that the party's central leadership would decide which constituency he would retain.

"I will vacate one seat within 10 days. The party will decide which one I retain. I will not forget my responsibility towards the people of Bhabanipur and Nandigram," he said.

Adhikari on Monday defeated Banerjee in Bhabanipur by over 15,000 votes, puncturing what was long seen as her safest political refuge and delivering a decisive psychological blow to the TMC, amid a sweeping BJP surge across West Bengal.

via PTI

West Bengal CM announcement LIVE: Questioning the fairness of the West Bengal Assembly polls, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday demanded that the Supreme Court take immediate cognisance of the poll process and that the video recording of vote counting be made available to the people.

"When court proceedings have gone live, why can't vote counting go live?" Yadav said while addressing a press conference here.

"Why is CCTV not live? Why are they so afraid of it? Our demand is that the Supreme Court should immediately take cognisance of the West Bengal polls and put the video of the counting in front of the people of the country," he said.

Referring to alleged irregularities, Yadav cited some elections and bypolls in Uttar Pradesh in recent years as an example and claimed there were discrepancies during the counting process.

The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister alleged that the developments seen in West Bengal could be replicated on a larger scale in Uttar Pradesh, where assembly elections are due next year.

"What has been experienced in Bengal, they will do even on a bigger scale in Uttar Pradesh. Multi-layered election mafia will work together, do more research and operate in Uttar Pradesh (in 2027 polls)," he alleged.

"These people have done what they did in West Bengal and the way they influenced the elections and changed the atmosphere -- they have now been exposed," Yadav said.

via PTI

West Bengal CM announcement LIVE: The TMC on Wednesday alleged that BJP supporters used a bulldozer to demolish a few meat shops in New Market area here during a victory celebration, dubbing the incident "hooliganism".

The Mamata Banerjee-led party also accused central forces of remaining inactive when the incident occurred on Tuesday night.

'Bulldozer justice' was the phrase used by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and other BJP leaders during the recent assembly poll campaign in West Bengal, asserting that every illegal encroachment would be razed to the ground if the BJP came to power.

The TMC, in a post on X, said, "BJP's 'Poriborton' (change) has arrived, and it has arrived with a bulldozer. In an act of brazen hooliganism, mobs of BJP supporters went on a rampage near the New Market area, destroying shops and vandalising the Trinamool Congress party office."

Attaching a video of the alleged incident, the TMC said this was the "celebration of a party that spoke of trust and delivered terror".

via PTI

West Bengal CM announcement LIVE: The Election Commission should clarify its stance and ensure it is not one-sided, Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann said on Wednesday.

West Bengal CM announcement LIVE: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Wednesday backed Mamata Banerjee's decision not to resign as West Bengal chief minister after she was defeated in the assembly polls by BJP's Suvendu Adhikari. He called Mamata's move a part of her protest against the Centre and the Election Commission of India.

"Mamata Banerjee is not resigning is part of her agitation against the government (Centre), the Election Commission (EC) and a series of acts against democracy," Raut said.

West Bengal CM announcement LIVE: West Bengal's Chief Electoral Officer met Governor RN Ravi at Lok Bhavan in Kolkata today.

West Bengal CM announcement LIVE: On reports of post-poll violence, Amit P Javalgi, IGP, Barasat Range, says, "There was an attack on some houses here in the village panchayat yesterday. Police came here to investigate it. The CAPF was also there with police, and they were attacked. One person who was there was shot in the leg. Some CAPF jawans suffered minor injuries, and one lady constable was also injured. They were immediately sent to the hospital. Senior officers and everyone from the district administration and police administration came here, and we verified the matter. We detained and interrogated several people. We found the names of some people and conducted raids against them. Four of those involved have been arrested. The rest are being arrested... All the people who are involved are being arrested. Bombs have been found in some areas, and we have seized them too. Necessary action is being taken..."

West Bengal CM announcement LIVE: Mamata Banerjee-appointed retired bureaucrats have been asked not to come to offices ahead of formation for new government.

Some ex bureaucrats like Alapan Banerjee and other experts like Abhirup Sarkar, who were given various posts by Mamata, have also resigned.

West Bengal CM announcement LIVE: BJP's winning candidate from Nandigram and Bhabanipur, Suvendu Adhikari says, "We will work in such a way that Bengal will have BJP government for the next 100 years".