Don’t Want to Continue As WB CM: Mamata After Post-Result TMC Meet

Bengal witnessed a saffron surge on Thursday, 23 May, as the BJP inflicted a body blow to Trinamool Congress.

(Photo: Reuters)

TMC supremo and CM Mamata Banerjee, on Saturday, 25 May, said she told her party workers, at the emergency TMC meet post election results, that she “didn’t want to continue as the West Bengal chief minister”.

"At TMC's internal meeting, I offered to leave the chief minister's post. However, the offer was rejected by the party and I may continue," Banerjee said.

Addressing her first press conference after the election results were declared, she accused the BJP of polarising the people on religious lines to garner votes in West Bengal.

She also raised suspicion over BJP's stellar poll performance.

"This huge victory is not beyond suspicion. It is quite astonishing how the Opposition is completely wiped out in several states. There has been some setting, and foreign powers are also involved," she claimed.

The TMC chief also said that an emergency-like situation was created in the state by the BJP to win the elections.

Banerjee had called an emergency meeting of leaders of her party on Saturday, at her home, to discuss the poll reversals following the stunning saffron surge in the state in the Lok Sabha polls.

Bengal witnessed a saffron surge on Thursday, 23 May, as the BJP inflicted a body blow to Trinamool Congress by winning 18 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state, up from just two in 2014.

TMC has won 22 seats down from 34 in 2014.

The saffron party also gave the TMC a run for its money bagging 40.25 percent of the vote share counted so far compared to 43.28 percent clinched by TMC.

The four-party Left Front, that ruled the state for 34 years till 2011, could manage a measly 7.8 percent votes with its candidates losing deposits in all seats but one.

The Congress bagged two seats down from four last time and has won a vote share of 5.61 percent.

(With PTI inputs)