Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], May 4 (ANI): West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Monday alleged irregularities during the counting process of the Assembly Elections 2026. As projections of the counting of votes by the Election Commission began trickling in, she claimed that counting had been halted at several places and accused the Election Commission of India and central forces of acting unfairly.

As BJP crossed the halfway mark in the 294-member assembly as per early leads, Chief Minister in a self-made video urged counting agents of her party not to leave counting venues.

'Do not lose hearts, we will win after sundown,' she said.

'We are ahead by more than 100 seats, which is not being reported. Everything is being reported wrong. The Election Commission is working entirely as per its own will, and central forces are also with them. The police are also working with the central forces,' Mamata Banerjee alleged.

She also alleged that counting has been halted at many places as a tactic to benefit the BJP.

'Counting agents and candidates should not leave the counting centre. This is the BJP's plan, I have been saying this since yesterday that they will be shown ahead first. They have stopped counting at many places. Such machines have been found in Kalyani, where there is no match; atrocities are being committed against TMC from all sides through central forces,' she said.

As per leads, Trinamool Congress is headed for a defeat in the State derailing ambitions by Mamata Banerjee of a consecutive fourth term.

According to ECI trends, the BJP was leading on 187 seats, while the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress was ahead on 92 seats.

Meanwhile, BJP workers raised slogans of 'Jai Shree Ram' outside the residence of West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata as the BJP gained a comfortable majority.

West Bengal recorded the highest-ever voter turnout since independence with an impressive 91.66% polling in Phase-II of the Assembly elections. In the phase-I poll-participation was 93.19%, taking the combined poll percentage to 92.47%.

In the 2021 West Bengal Assembly election, the Trinamool Congress led by Mamata Banerjee secured a decisive mandate, winning 213 out of 294 seats with a vote share of around 48 per cent, while the Bharatiya Janata Party emerged as the principal opposition with 77 seats and roughly 38 per cent votes, marking a sharp rise from its previous tally. The Left-Congress alliance failed to win any seats. (ANI)