Mamata: Congress has no hold in Bengal, will go solo in 2026

Mamata Banerjee, West Bengal Chief Minister, declared on Monday that Trinamool Congress (TMC) will contest the 2026 Bengal Assembly elections independently. She made the announcement during a meeting with party legislators ahead of the budget session in the state assembly.

Banerjee asserted that TMC would go solo in the upcoming elections, without any alliances. “Congress has nothing in West Bengal. Therefore, there is no question of an alliance with them. We will contest alone and secure a two-thirds majority to form the government again in 2026,” she stated, according to a senior cabinet member.

Additionally, Banerjee held Congress responsible for the outcome of the recent Delhi Assembly elections, where the BJP won 48 out of 70 seats. The Chief Minister blamed Congress for not supporting the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi. She also pointed out that AAP did not assist Congress in Haryana. This lack of unity, she argued, allowed the BJP to emerge victorious in both states. “Had Congress and AAP stayed united, the results would have been different,” she explained.

The meeting also addressed some internal issues within TMC. Banerjee reprimanded party legislators whose public statements had caused embarrassment. One such remark, made by Madan Mitra, involved the claim that joining the district committee for money was a common practice.

Although Mitra later apologized, Banerjee warned that repeated mistakes could not be tolerated.
The Chief Minister also cautioned against rising infighting within the party, particularly in the districts of Malda and West Burdwan. She urged legislators to avoid internal conflicts that could harm the party’s unity and image.

In conclusion, Banerjee made it clear that TMC is determined to stay independent in the 2026 elections, strengthen internal discipline, and avoid any alliance with Congress.