Mamata sets 215 plus seat target for 2026 assembly polls, aims for fourth straight term

Kolkata, Feb 27 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday set an ambitious goal of winning more than 215 of the total 294 seats in the state assembly in the 2026 polls, emphasising that the TMC would work to significantly reduce the BJP’s tally and secure a fourth consecutive term in power.

Setting the tone for the electoral battle, Banerjee reiterated the need to surpass the 214 seats won by her party in 2021.

"I agree with Abhishek (TMC MP and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee) that we should aim for at least one more seat than our 2021 tally. Our goal should be to secure 215 seats or more while ensuring that BJP, CPIM, and Congress candidates struggle to retain their deposits," Banerjee asserted.

Addressing an organisational meeting of the Trinamool Congress before the chief minister, the MP said the party should work for winning at least one additional seat than the current strength of 214.

Responding to Mamata Banerjee's statement, BJP MP Samik Bhattacharya claimed that she is afraid of losing the 2026 assembly polls and is saying such things to galvanize TMC workers.

The BJP had secured 77 seats in the 2021 elections.

"We will win over 215 seats in the 2026 assembly polls and further diminish the BJP’s numbers," Banerjee stated at the meeting.

She also criticised the BJP’s previous electoral claims.

"In 2021, they boasted ‘200 paar’ but faced defeat. In 2024, they claimed ‘400 paar’ in the Lok Sabha elections but failed to secure a majority. What Abhishek said is correct. We will secure a two-thirds majority, and BJP candidates should lose their deposits," Banerjee remarked.

Echoing her stance, TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee urged party workers to ensure a decisive victory.

"The battle for Bengal’s future has begun. We must ensure the TMC’s victory and make Mamata Banerjee the Chief Minister for a fourth consecutive term. Our aim is a two-thirds majority in 2026," he said.

At the meeting held at Netaji Indoor Stadium here, he outlined the party’s election strategy while stressing discipline and unity.

"The BJP has ED-CBI-Income Tax trio backing them, but they lack the courage to fight on the ground. We will dismantle their 'chakravyuh' (a military formation used to surround enemies, depicted in the Mahabharata). We have done it before and will do it again," Abhishek Banerjee said.

In 2021, the ruling TMC secured 213 seats, ensuring a comfortable majority, while the BJP won 77 seats. With the 2026 elections approaching, the TMC is working to consolidate its base and counter the BJP’s challenge.

Banerjee launched a sharp attack on the BJP, accusing it of using agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and Income Tax Department to target opposition leaders.

"Before elections, they decide whom to send to jail, whom to charge, and whom to brand corrupt! Don’t they feel ashamed? They haven’t even resolved the RG Kar case," she stated.

Banerjee also emphasised that only dedicated workers would be rewarded.

"Those working sincerely will be promoted. But those who merely give speeches, don’t fight the BJP or Congress, and don’t work for common people—there will be no sympathy for them. My support is for grassroots workers who stand by the TMC wholeheartedly," she said.

She predicted a major setback for the BJP in the upcoming elections.

"They (non-BJP parties) failed to counter the BJP in Maharashtra and Delhi. But in Bengal, we will take them head-on. By 2027-2029, the BJP will be finished. They have only 2-3 years left," she asserted.

BJP MP Samik Bhattacharya said Mamata Banerjee has realised that she is going to lose the assembly elections, that is why she is making such statements to boost the morale of party workers.

“The whole world knows TMC for its mastery in electoral malpractices and vote loot. If she truly believes in her work, why does she encourage violence? Hindus in Bengal have united, and that is why she is scared," he said.

Addressing concerns about the TMC’s political consultancy agency I-PAC, Banerjee clarified its role.

"PK (Prashant Kishor) is no longer part of I-PAC. He has moved elsewhere and even started another political party. This is a new team here. Everyone knows that. Cooperation is essential. Stop unnecessary comments about them. We must work together," she said.

Her remarks came after senior TMC leader Madan Mitra accused I-PAC of damaging Mamata Banerjee’s image by allowing opportunists into the party.

Before the 2021 elections, I-PAC faced local resentment, especially in villages, where some TMC members expressed dissatisfaction with its involvement. Some senior leaders also accused the agency of "interference" and "overreach".

In 2011, when the Trinamool Congress ended the 34-year rule of the Left Front, the TMC-Congress alliance won a total of 226 seats, with the Mamata Banerjee-led party alone securing 184 seats. In the 2016 elections, TMC contested independently against the Left-Congress alliance and the BJP, winning 211 seats. PTI PNT BDC NN

Source: PTI