Mamata holds first rally after polls defeat

Former West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee has launched a fresh attack on Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar at her first public programme following her party’s defeat in the 2026 Assembly election.

Banerjee accused Kumar and the BJP of manipulating the electoral process through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls. She demanded Kumar’s arrest and criminal prosecution and called for fresh Assembly elections in West Bengal using the voter list that existed before the SIR exercise.

She also alleged that legitimate voters had been removed from the electoral rolls and claimed that the SIR process had benefited the BJP.

Banerjee has repeatedly questioned the Election Commission’s role in the election and called for nationwide protests against Kumar.

Her remarks came amid a growing political confrontation over the SIR process and allegations concerning the management of electoral rolls.

The Election Commission and the BJP have rejected the allegations.