New Delhi: After suffering one of its biggest electoral setbacks in recent years, Mamata Banerjee has called on party leaders and workers to rebuild the organisation from the ground up, while making it clear that those wishing to leave the party are free to do so.
At a meeting held at her Kalighat residence on Friday, attended by several Trinamool Congress candidates and the party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, Banerjee struck a defiant tone despite the party’s heavy defeat in the recently concluded assembly elections.
She urged party workers to reopen damaged offices, repaint them, and reconnect with grassroots supporters. Banerjee reportedly said she was willing to personally participate in rebuilding efforts if required, while insisting that the Trinamool Congress would continue to fight and would not surrender after the loss.
The election results marked a dramatic reversal for the party, which was pushed from the treasury benches to the opposition. Out of 294 assembly seats in the state, the TMC secured victory in only 80 constituencies. The party had fielded candidates in 291 seats, leaving three seats in the Darjeeling hills for ally Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha led by Anit Thapa.
Several senior leaders and ministers were among those defeated, while Banerjee herself lost from Bhabanipur, a constituency long viewed as her political stronghold.
The meeting came amid growing speculation over internal dissatisfaction and the possibility of defections following the electoral collapse. Banerjee reiterated that she would not stop anyone from switching parties, acknowledging that some leaders may leave due to personal or political compulsions.
Photographs from the gathering were later shared by the Trinamool Congress on social media, where the party praised its candidates for continuing the campaign despite what it described as intimidation and adverse circumstances. The party also repeated its allegation that the people’s mandate had been unfairly taken away.
Party insiders said the gathering was intended to restore confidence among defeated candidates and project unity during a challenging period for the organisation.
