Mamata Banerjee on Saturday reassured Trinamool Congress’s counting agents that the party was all set to form its fourth consecutive government in Bengal with over 200 seats and asked them not to allow even the slightest laxity on Monday when votes would be tabulated.
“We are winning. We are winning with over 200 seats (out of 294),” the Trinamool chairperson purportedly told the counting agents at a virtual meeting, which was attended by senior leaders also.
Mamata was flanked by her nephew and Trinamool national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.
“Trust me, even the BJP does not believe they are forming the government here. They are well aware of the reality,” Abhishek was quoted as saying.
A senior MP said the meeting was less a pep talk and more a war manual.
“The message from the two was singular: the battle against the BJP is no longer just about the ballot, but about guarding the mandate against the saffron camp’s mega-fraud plans. They warned against getting influenced by the “share-market scam” masquerading as the exit polls,” he added.
Mamata was quoted as saying: “These exit polls were nothing but an attempt to manipulate the stock markets.... Besides demoralising our counting apparatus.”
“They did this in 2021. They did this in 2024. They are doing it now. Not even a surprise anymore. I know everything,” she purportedly added.
Most exit polls have projected narrow BJP wins, though a couple gave Trinamool a comfortable majority.
On Saturday, Mamata was quoted as saying: “Do not leave the counting centres until victory certificates are handed out. Must reach the counting centres by 5am. If there is a power cut anywhere, even for 10 seconds, immediately raise an alarm.”
“In places where the BJP is winning by slender margins, especially of a few hundred, you absolutely must, must, must ensure recounting,” she commanded.
The chief minister promised to reward those who withstood “brutality by the central forces” while carrying out their responsibilities in the elections.
Not only the septuagenarian supreme leader but also her tricenarian nephew exuded the 200-plus confidence.
“I want to put this on record — Trinamool Congress will get more seats than it did in 2021 (213 on the day of counting),” said the Diamond Harbour MP.
Sources said Mamata and Abhishek levelled a direct, blistering threat at the administrative machinery — reporting to the Election Commission — which supervised the April 23 and 29 polls.
“Not one general observer or police observer will be allowed to get away, they said. They said serious legal action would be taken against each one of them, for anti-constitutional acts,” an MP later said.
Abhishek purportedly said: “(General) observers and police observers are thinking that after May 4, they will run away to Uttar Pradesh or other (NDA-ruled) states from where they came. We will find you and drag each one of you to court.”
Mamata said Trinamool had already appointed district-wise counting observers and specifically tasked Rajeev Kumar, the former director-general of state police (now a Rajya Sabha member), with monitoring the high-stakes zones of Dum Dum and Barrackpore.
“The world will see how the BJP used all their might, agencies... every possible kind of unfair means, and yet fell flat on their faces,” Abhishek was quoted as saying. “Bengal will set an example for the whole nation.”