Assembly Elections 2026 | Mamata Banerjee Alleges ‘Undeclared President’s Rule’, Slams Centre And ECI
She alleged that the elections in the state were effectively being conducted under an "undeclared President’s Rule".
Published : March 20, 2026 at 10:38 PM IST
Kolkata: Ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections, Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee launched an attack on the BJP-led Centre and the Election Commission of India (ECI) over the transfer of administrative officials and the conduct of the poll process.
Speaking during the release of the party’s election manifesto, Banerjee expressed concern over what she termed the "dismal state" of democracy in the country.
She alleged that the elections in the state were effectively being conducted under an "undeclared President’s Rule". She accused the Centre and the ECI of arbitrarily transferring IAS and IPS officers to influence the electoral process. "The BJP-led government and the ECI are removing state officials to bring in outside influence and funds," she claimed.
At the beginning of her address, she pointed out the concept of Karma Yoga. She said, "Performing one's duty is the true religion of humanity. The people of Bengal have always supported us with love and blessings, and we have worked to serve them to the best of our ability." She then went on to allege a deep-rooted conspiracy involving the BJP and the ECI in the ongoing elections.
She further claimed that the "saffron camp" was attempting to destabilise the state through a political design. She alleged that there was a conspiracy to carve out a separate state by excluding North Bengal and merging parts of neighbouring Bihar.
Talking about the Centre's future political agenda, Banerjee said a delimitation exercise after the elections could be used to ensure that the ruling party at the Centre remains in power. She also alleged that processes such as delimitation, the NRC, and the Census could be misused to remove names of ordinary citizens from electoral rolls.
She criticised the overall political climate in the country and said, "A divisive and war-like atmosphere has been deliberately created. None of the promises made by the (Narendra) Modi government have been fulfilled."
Banerjee also spoke about the privatisation of public sector undertakings and alleged that national assets were being sold. Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, she accused the leadership of running the country through intimidation and divisive politics.
The TMC chief also objected to the transfer of state officials during the election period. She said that experienced officers familiar with Bengal were being replaced by outsiders with little understanding of the state's culture and ground realities. "If a crisis arises, who will handle it?" she asked.
Questioning the neutrality of the ECI, she said, "Is the state under an undeclared central rule operating through the ECI? This is a blow to democracy.” She further alleged that constitutional values and the rule of law were being undermined.
For the transfer of officials, she said that it was part of a larger financial conspiracy to influence the elections through the influx of black money. "Even if central agencies try to intimidate us, we will not bow down," she said.
She appealed to party workers and voters to remain united. She urged TMC cadres to stand firm "like soldiers" to protect democracy, and called on people across Bengal to safeguard the state's identity, language, and culture.
Polling in West Bengal will be held in two phases while the counting of votes will take place on May 4, 2026.
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