India's fiercest female politician faces a fight for survival

Mamata Banerjee loses West Bengal state, throwing her party - and political future - into doubt.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has won control of West Bengal, marking the first time the BJP has governed the state and ending the 15-year rule of Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress.

Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, was defeated by Suvendu Adhikari in the Bhabanipur constituency, marking a significant electoral setback for her and the Trinamool Congress.

After losing her seat in Bhabanipur, Mamata Banerjee alleged that the BJP had 'looted more than 100 seats' and described the victory as 'immoral' and 'illegal'.

In a stunning electoral collapse, Mamata Banerjee and 63% of her cabinet ministers were defeated, signaling a deep and widespread rejection of governance in West Bengal.

An analysis of how Mamata Banerjee's personal incorruptibility and the blurring lines between her leadership and the party machinery led to a historic reversal in West Bengal's 2026 elections.