Mamata Banerjee vs EC unfolds ahead of West Bengal Elections: An ‘ultimatum’, a ‘lie’ and war of words on X
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's TMC posted an edited photo of the Election Commissioners, replacing ‘Election Commission of India’ with ‘BJP Election Cell’.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Election Commission of India (ECI) engaged in a war of words on Wednesday after the poll body claimed to have given an “ultimatum” to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's party ahead of the assembly polls.
The TMC issued a strong response after the Election Commission wrote on X, “ECI's Straight-talk to Trinamool Congress: This time, the Elections in West Bengal would surely be: Fear-free, Violence-free, Intimidation-free, Inducement-free and without any Raid, Booth Jamming and Source Jamming.”
Along with the post, the Election Commission posted an image of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, with Election Commissioners SS Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.
In its response on X, the TMC edited this photo of the Election Commission, replacing “Election Commission of India” with “BJP Election Cell”.
TMC fires back
The TMC wrote: “We are also speaking to the Election Commission in a straightforward manner.”
“This time, the elections must be: Free from Delhi's control, Free from political bias, Free from targeted persecution of anyone, And certainly free from double standards,” Mamata Banerjee's party posted on X while alleging a collusion between the BJP and the poll body.
The statements came after the Election Commission held a meeting with a TMC delegation ahead of the West Bengal Assembly Elections.
EC telling ‘lies’
TMC spokesperson Saket Gokhale took to X to deny the Election Commission's claim about its “ultimatum” to the TMC.
He said, "This is a LIE. I was personally present at the meeting. NOTHING like this was said. All that CEC Gyanesh Kumar said to us was “GET LOST”.
“We challenge the ECI to release a transcript of the meeting. Else we will do it,” Saket Gokhale posted on X.
Meanwhile, AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal, in a post on 'X', criticised the Election Commssion for its post and said, “Now there's no need to even say that the Election Commission is working under BJP and taking direct instructions from BJP.”
“This is now out in the open and extremely unfortunate. At the very least, by tweeting in such language, don't publicly tarnish the reputation of such an important institution,” he said.
Earlier in the day, a meeting between a TMC delegation and the ECI turned tense, with TMC MP Derek O'Brien alleging that the Chief Election Commissioner asked them to leave within five minutes.
According to ANI, he also challenged the Commission to release video or audio of the meeting.
In the letter, the party flagged concerns over the "neutrality, fairness, and transparency" of the electoral process, asserting that recent developments point to a disturbing erosion of institutional impartiality.
It emphasised that the credibility of elections depends fundamentally on the independence of officials entrusted with conducting them.
West Bengal Election 2026
Polling for the 294-member Assembly in West Bengal will take place in two phases on 23 April and 29 April, while counting of votes is scheduled for 4 May.
About the Author
Akriti Anand is a Deputy Chief Content Producer at LiveMint. She is a digital journalist with more than six years in the news industry.<br><br> In her current role, she covers both national and international politics, and also keeps a close watch on the latest trends in science and space exploration. <br><br> Akriti joined the LiveMint team in October 2023. Before this, she built a strong career at other major media houses. She worked as a senior sub-editor at India Today. Later, she moved to CNBCTV-18. There, she covered high-pressure topics like breaking news and major elections. She spent much of her time analysing Parliament bills and complex political debates. She is also a skilled editor who knows how to polish a story for a digital audience. <br><br> One of her career highlights happened at CNBCTV-18. She made her first television debut during the Chandrayaan-3 mission. She also provided special on-air coverage for the Karnataka Elections. <br><br> When she is not busy with breaking news, Akriti loves to write explainers and interview experts on a wide range of issues. She also enjoys making complex space missions easy for everyone to understand. <br><br> Her education helps her tackle these diverse subjects. She holds a BA in English Literature, a Postgraduate Diploma in Mass Communication, and a Master’s degree in Development Studies. She is currently expanding her knowledge in climate journalism.<br><br> Connect with Akriti here<br> LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/akriti-anand-868285199">https://www.linkedin.com/in/akriti-anand-868285199</a><br> Twitter/X: <a href="https://x.com/AkritiAnand7">https://x.com/AkritiAnand7</a><br> Email: akriti.anand@htdigital.in
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