‘TMC will win 200+ seats’; Mamata Banerjee dismisses exit polls as propaganda aimed at influencing share market ahead of West Bengal Assembly Elections 2026 results

Mamata Banerjee has exuded confidence ahead of the May 4 counting for the West Bengal Assembly Elections 2026, asserting that the All India Trinamool Congress is poised to secure more than 200 seats.

Addressing party counting agents, Mamata dismissed exit poll projections that gave the Bharatiya Janata Party an edge, alleging such forecasts are designed to influence the stock market.

“TMC will win at least 200-plus seats, if not more,” she said, urging party workers to ignore what she called propaganda by the BJP and its allies.

Two days before counting, Mamata and Abhishek Banerjee held a strategy meeting with counting agents, reminding them that previous exit polls in 2021 and 2024 had also underestimated the party’s performance.

Mamata instructed party representatives to remain at counting centres until the entire process concludes and to immediately demand recounts if any candidate trails by a narrow margin of 200–300 votes.

Abhishek also directed party members to promptly report any unusual developments at counting venues, citing the sudden power outage at the Nandigram counting centre during the 2021 polls as a cautionary example.

The remarks come amid heightened political tensions after TMC leaders on Thursday raised concerns over alleged irregularities and lack of transparency at strong rooms in Kolkata, where sealed EVMs from the April 29 polling are being stored.