Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday met Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata, where the two leaders held a closed-door meeting amid the changing political landscape in West Bengal following the Assembly election results.
According to official sources from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), the meeting began around 3:15 PM and was attended by TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee as well. Party insiders described the atmosphere as cordial and politically significant at a time when the BJP has registered a sweeping victory in the state.
Sources said the three leaders exchanged greetings warmly at the start of the interaction, with Akhilesh Yadav and Abhishek Banerjee hugging each other before the discussions commenced. During the meeting, Akhilesh reportedly praised the TMC leadership for its electoral fight despite the defeat.
TMC sources quoted Akhilesh Yadav as telling Abhishek Banerjee, “What a commendable battle you all have fought.” He also reportedly reassured Mamata Banerjee by saying, “Didi, you have not lost.”
The meeting comes days after the BJP secured a spectacular victory in West Bengal, winning 207 seats as declared on Monday. The TMC, which had governed the state for the past 15 years, managed to win 80 seats, marking a major political setback for Mamata Banerjee’s party.
Earlier in the day, Akhilesh Yadav launched a sharp attack on the BJP, alleging that democracy in West Bengal had been weakened during the elections. Speaking to reporters, he claimed voters were pressured and did not get the opportunity to vote freely.
“No one has probably damaged democracy as much as the BJP has,” Yadav said. He further accused the saffron party of being uncomfortable with the rise of women in politics and alleged that polling in the state took place under coercion rather than through free democratic participation.
The Samajwadi Party leader also raised questions over incidents of political violence reported during and after the elections, including attacks on party workers and vandalism of political offices. He questioned who would be held accountable for the alleged security lapses during the polling process.
Akhilesh Yadav additionally criticized the extensive deployment of central security forces during the elections, claiming it created a “parallel structure” in the state. According to him, personnel from several states, including Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, were brought in to oversee polling arrangements.
The meeting between Akhilesh Yadav and the Banerjee leadership is being viewed as politically significant, especially as opposition parties reassess strategies after the BJP’s massive electoral gains in West Bengal.
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