Will continue to fight BJP till they are defeated, says Mamata

TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee holds a protest against alleged attacks on party leaders and workers in Kolkata on June 2, 2026. Photo credit: PTI

Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held a protest rally in Kolkata on Tuesday where she said she will continue to fight the BJP until they are defeated. Ms. Banerjee lost the West Bengal elections to the BJP a month ago.

Ms. Banerjee said it was unprecedented that she was facing protests outside her home. She pointed out that former chief ministers like Jyoti Basu and Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee never had to face agitators at their homes after losing elections.

“The lumpen party (referring to the BJP) wants me to die of a heart attack. But I will not die until I defeat you,” the 71-year-old TMC president said.

Ms Banerjee said she would not abandon the Trinamool Congress workers in the hour of their trial and alleged that the police had not given permission for Tuesday’s demonstration on Rani Rashmoni Road.

Amid talk of defection in the Trinamool Congress, Ms Banerjee challenged her opponents to see which of them would produce a “new Trinamool”.

“Those who were elected on the party symbol are now trying to break the party because of the fear of the police: will they make a new Trinamool? Trinamool was born out of struggle and there can be no new Trinamool,” she said.

Signature forgery

After the expulsion of two TMC MLAs, there was speculation that more Trinamool MLAs may defect. The MLAs were expelled on Monday as they complained to the West Bengal Assembly Speaker that their signatures on the letter appointing the Leader of the Opposition’s choice had been forged.

“I am sorry that those I supported are now joining with traitors,” she said.

The Trinamool was reduced to 80 MLAs, while the BJP won 208 seats in the 294-member state assembly. With the expulsions, the number of MLAs in the Trinamool fold has dropped to 78.

She spoke about the attack on party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on May 30 and the eviction of shopkeepers and the demolition of illegal structures and buildings.

“Evicting shopkeepers without rehabilitation was not our government policy, we adopted a humane approach,” she said.

Ms Banerjee was joined by party MP Kalyan Banerjee, Dola Sen and former minister Dola Sen and MLA Kunal Ghosh, among others. Trinamool Congress supporters gathered at the Esplanade and raised slogans in support of the party leader.

Nationwide event

Addressing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Ms Banerjee said: “Look who you have given responsibility; what is happening to West Bengal?”

Ms. Banerjee expressed the hope that a time would come when there would be no more BJP government at the Centre. “Very soon all the anti-BJP parties will meet in Delhi. Wait for a while and we will announce our national course,” the Trinamool Congress president said, referring to the planned meeting of the INDIA bloc next week.

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari claimed that only a small number of Trinamool leaders participated in party chief Mamata Banerjee’s dharna in Kolkata over alleged violence against party workers after the elections.

Speaking to reporters after offering prayers at the Tarakeswar temple in Hooghly district, Mr. Adhikari said the situation in the Trinamool was turning out to be bleak.

“Only three MPs and six MLAs turned up at Mamata Banerjee’s protest dharna. TMC’s condition is so dismal. It is reminiscent of Faltarepoll (where Trinamool finished fourth),” the chief minister said.

Published – 02 Jun 2026 15:34 IST