Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress suffers massive defeat and internal revolt in West Bengal

In the 2026 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) led by Mamata Banerjee saw its vote share collapse, winning only 80 of the 293 seats it had secured in 2021. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) captured 206 seats, ending the TMC’s 15‑year rule in the state.

The loss has triggered a wave of internal dissent. Reports indicate that around 20 of the party’s 28 Members of Parliament are exploring a move to the BJP, and senior leader Sushmita Devi has resigned from both state‑level and district‑level party posts. The crisis reflects growing challenges to Banerjee’s leadership after a career that began with the 2007 Nandigram protests, led to her becoming chief minister in 2011, and earned her a place on the Time 100 list.