Mamata moves high court challenging Bhowanipore loss
KOLKATA: Former chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday moved Calcutta High Court challenging CM Suvendu Adhikari 's win from Bhowanipore in the 2026 assembly elections , citing "reasonable likelihood of bias" by Election Commission officials. Adhikari won the seat by over 15,000 votes.
Mamata reached the high court accompanied by Trinamool joint national secretaries Derek O'Brien and Dola Sen, senior lawyer and MP Kalyan Banerjee and Beleghata MLA Kunal Ghosh. She did not speak to the media on her way in and out.
Kalyan said the Trinamool chief had come to the court to affirm the election petition filed by her.
"After 12 rounds, she and her election agent were beaten up and thrown out. Who was the (Bhowanipore) returning officer? The same person as the RO of Nandigram (Surajit Roy) during 2021 assembly polls He was brought to Bhowanipore in 2026 as the RO. Later, he was made a deputy secretary of CM. The CEO (Manoj Agarwal) was made chief secretary right after the election. There were several allegations against them. Reasonable likelihood of bias is there," Kalyan said.
Mamata had held the Bhowanpore seat since 2011, when Trinamool came to office for first time. In the 2026 state polls, Suvendu wrested the seat securing 73,917 votes against Mamata's 58,812.
She alleged that on counting day she was attacked and the CCTVs at the counting centre switched off. She claimed her party's agents were not allowed to enter the counting station.
Mamata reached the high court accompanied by Trinamool joint national secretaries Derek O'Brien and Dola Sen, senior lawyer and MP Kalyan Banerjee and Beleghata MLA Kunal Ghosh. She did not speak to the media on her way in and out.
Kalyan said the Trinamool chief had come to the court to affirm the election petition filed by her.
"After 12 rounds, she and her election agent were beaten up and thrown out. Who was the (Bhowanipore) returning officer? The same person as the RO of Nandigram (Surajit Roy) during 2021 assembly polls He was brought to Bhowanipore in 2026 as the RO. Later, he was made a deputy secretary of CM. The CEO (Manoj Agarwal) was made chief secretary right after the election. There were several allegations against them. Reasonable likelihood of bias is there," Kalyan said.
Mamata had held the Bhowanpore seat since 2011, when Trinamool came to office for first time. In the 2026 state polls, Suvendu wrested the seat securing 73,917 votes against Mamata's 58,812.
She alleged that on counting day she was attacked and the CCTVs at the counting centre switched off. She claimed her party's agents were not allowed to enter the counting station.
Next Story