
Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma became the latest celebrity to comment on the aftermath of the Bengal assembly elections 2026. In his latest post on X, formerly Twitter, Varma attacked outgoing CM Mamata Banerjee as she refused to step down following the election results. Her party, TMC, was defeated by the BJP by a massive margin in the state.
Amid this, Ram Gopal Varma said that Mamata Banerjee is attacking democracy by not resigning from her position.
RGV wrote, “After so many DECADES in POLITICIS and 15 years as C M , I can’t believe that @MamataOfficial is ignoring that DEMOCRACY by it’s very DNA is about INSTITUTIONS and attacking them amounts to attacking DEMOCRACY.”
West Bengal has been thrust into a constitutional and political standoff after the BJP's landmark victory in the state. Mamata Banerjee firmly rejected calls for her resignation after the BJP secured a commanding two-thirds majority.
Addressing the media on Tuesday, she accused the Election Commission (EC) and the BJP of "looting" the democratic process.
"I will not resign. I did not lose. I will not go to Raj Bhavan... the question doesn't arise. We didn't lose the election. They can defeat us officially through the Election Commission, but morally we won the election," Mamata Banerjee said.
The TMC chief also called the Chief Election Commissioner the "villain" of the election. She alleged that the EVM machines were tampered with, citing suspicious 80-90% battery charges.
Banerjee accused the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of playing a key role in the alleged manipulation of the election.
"Sad to say, the CEC became the villain of this election to loot the democratic rights of the people and to loot the EVM," she said.
She added, "Why should I step down? We have not lost. The mandate has been looted. Where does the question of resignation arise?"
“I will not resign. I did not lose. I will not go to Raj Bhavan... the question doesn't arise. We didn't lose the election. They can defeat us officially through the Election Commission, but morally we won the election.”
Banerjee alleged she was "manhandled and kicked in the belly" during the counting process. She added that the CCTV cameras were intentionally disabled while her agents were assaulted.
“They snatched away all forms; even women were not spared.”
The outgoing CM also expressed confidence in the support that she received from opposition leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal, Uddhav Thackeray, Akhilesh Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav, and Hemant Soren.
"All the allies of the INDIA Alliance told me that they are totally and absolutely with me," Mamata Banerjee said, adding, "I will strengthen the INDIA team, just like a small person. I don't have any chair now, so I am a commoner. I am a free bird," she added.
Meanwhile, the BJP has dismissed Banerjee's allegations.
BJP sealed a landslide victory with 207 seats in the 294-member assembly, ending the TMC's 15-year rule in West Bengal.
Sneha Biswas specialises in covering entertainment and pop culture, with a specialisation on Bollywood, Hollywood, OTT platforms, K-pop, K-dramas, and major developments in the US entertainment industry. She believes in telling stories that balance speed with substance, and in making entertainment journalism contextual, culturally aware, and reader-first rather than purely reactive.<br><br> With over six years of experience in digital media, Sneha currently serves as a Deputy Chief Content Producer at Live Mint. She has spent more than three and a half years with the HT Group and returned to the organisation in February 2025, joining Live Mint to uplift the entertainment section. Over the past year, she has been closely involved in entertainment coverage including breaking news, explainers, trend reporting, box office reports and analysis for the audience.<br><br> Sneha is Google News certified, having completed training focused on newsroom best practices, digital reporting, and SEO-driven content strategies. Her work reflects a strong understanding of audience behaviour, search trends, and the evolving consumption patterns of entertainment news across formats.<br><br> Prior to her current role, Sneha has worked across multiple content and editorial functions within digital newsrooms, building expertise in content planning, editing, and real-time coverage. Her professional interests lie at the intersection of entertainment, internet culture, and global pop trends.<br><br> Working for the National city team, Biswas closely follows global entertainment movements while maintaining a strong pulse on what is happening in India.
Catch all the Business News, Market News, Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.
Oops! Looks like you have exceeded the limit to bookmark the image. Remove some to bookmark this image.