“I Know Many Will Leave For Other Parties”: Mamata Banerjee Breaks Silence After TMC’s Crushing Bengal Defeat

Facing its worst electoral setback in years, the Mamata Banerjee-led All India Trinamool Congress has begun internal discussions on rebuilding the organisation after losing power in West Bengal to the Bharatiya Janata Party in the 2026 Assembly elections. During a meeting with party candidates at her Kalighat residence in Kolkata on Friday, Banerjee acknowledged the difficult phase facing the party and reportedly urged leaders to stand united if they wished to continue the political battle ahead.

The meeting, attended by the party's national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, came amid growing speculation over defections and internal dissatisfaction following the election defeat.

Mamata Banerjee Signals Rebuilding Drive Within TMC

According to PTI, Mamata Banerjee told party leaders that the Trinamool Congress would rebuild itself despite the crushing electoral loss. She also made it clear that those unwilling to remain with the organisation were free to leave.

"Those who are leaving for other parties, let them go. I will rebuild the party afresh. To those who are staying, I say rebuild the damaged party offices, paint them and reopen them. If needed, I too will paint them. Trinamool Congress will never bow down. People's mandate has been looted," Banerjee reportedly said, quoting sources present at the meeting.

The remarks are being viewed as one of Banerjee's strongest public acknowledgements yet of the scale of the defeat suffered by the party after three consecutive terms in power.

TMC Suffers Major Collapse In 2026 Bengal Elections

The Election Commission counted results for 293 seats on May 4, with the TMC managing to secure only 80 seats, a dramatic fall from the 215 seats it had won in the previous Assembly elections. Repolling in the Falta constituency is scheduled for May 21.

The defeat also carried personal significance for Mamata Banerjee, who lost from Bhabanipur, a constituency long regarded as her political stronghold.

The TMC had contested 291 seats while leaving three seats in the Darjeeling hills for ally Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha led by Anit Thapa. Out of the candidates fielded by the party, 211 lost, including several senior ministers and heavyweight leaders.

Meeting Held Amid Defection Rumours

The Kalighat meeting was organised specifically for the party's contesting candidates as rumours of leaders switching camps intensified after the election results.

Banerjee had already hinted at possible exits from the party during a press conference held on May 5, a day after the results were declared.

"I know many will leave for other parties. They may have their own compulsions. I have nothing to say about that. Whoever wants to go may go. I do not believe in forcibly holding anyone back," she had said earlier.

Party insiders said Friday's interaction was aimed at restoring confidence among defeated candidates while reinforcing the message that the organisation would continue its political fight despite the setback.