Rahul Gandhi alleges over 100 seats “stolen” in Bengal and Assam elections, backs Mamata’s claims

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday alleged that assembly elections in West Bengal and Assam were “stolen” by the Bharatiya Janata Party with the support of the Election Commission of India. Backing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, he claimed that “more than 100 seats were stolen” in the state, intensifying the political confrontation following the election results.

In a public statement, Gandhi said that both Assam and Bengal represented “clear cases” of electoral manipulation and asserted that similar patterns had been observed in previous elections across states. He cited Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra, and the 2024 general election as examples where, according to him, comparable trends had emerged.

His remarks echoed earlier allegations made by Mamata Banerjee, who accused the BJP of “looting” more than 100 seats and described the Election Commission as acting in favour of the ruling party. She termed the outcome an “immoral” and “illegal” victory and claimed that complaints raised with election authorities had not led to any action.

The statements came amid trends indicating a decisive victory for the BJP in West Bengal, marking a significant political shift in the state. In key constituencies, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari secured major wins, including defeating Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur by a margin of 15,105 votes and winning Nandigram with over 1.27 lakh votes.