Mamata Banerjee : undermining faith in democratic institutions
Poonam Sharma
The last few days in West Bengal have exposed a crisis not only of politics but of faith — a faith that is supposed to bind a leader to the Constitution and to the institutions that uphold our democracy. Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister, is in the eye of a storm. But the real storm is of her own making. She openly challenges the legitimacy of the Election Commission of India (ECI) which brought her to power and by extension the Constitution of India itself.
From Dissent to Disruption
Dissent by a political leader is one thing, but disruption is quite another. With the deadline for the 2026 Bengal assembly elections nearing, Mamata Banerjee and her party Trinamool Congress (TMC) has launched a barrage of allegations against the ECI claiming that there has been massive tampering and manipulation. In a continuous run for 15 years for the TMC, exit polls have predicted a possible BJP surge shaking the TMC. But rather than introspection, or even dignified skepticism, Banerjee has chosen a course of relentless confrontation.
On April 30, Banerjee stormed into an EVM strongroom in Bhabanipur and spent close to four hours inside, surrounded by anxious supporters, in a scene more fit for political theatre than governance. This was not the act of a leader who believed in the system. This was the public expression of suspicion, bordering on paranoia. Her party’s street protests, allegations of ballot tampering and viral posts on social media blaming the BJP and the Election Commission of colluding only heightened the atmosphere of mistrust.
No trust in the system
What message does this send to the people of West Bengal and the country? What is to happen to the common voter if the Chief Minister herself is not willing to repose faith in the Election Commission which is a constitutional body to conduct free and fair elections? This is not merely about Mamata Banerjee’s electoral prospects. It is about the credibility of India’s democratic institutions.
The Calcutta High Court’s rejection of TMC’s petitions against the counting process and the deployment of central government employees as counting supervisors further reveals the fragility of Banerjee’s claims. The courts found the allegations “not to have any merit”—but instead of accepting judicial oversight, the TMC intensified protests and muddied the waters of public trust.
Demographics at Work: The Bangladeshi Question
But there is a more profound malaise behind this crisis of faith. The demographic transformation that West Bengal has seen for years is inseparable from its politics. The open secret, whispered in Kolkata’s drawing rooms and bellowed from rooftops in Delhi, is that the TMC’s electoral success has rested, not insignificantly, on the consolidation of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh as a vote bank.
This demographic trend has been a double-edged sword. It has on one hand consolidated TMC’s hold over some constituencies. On the other hand, as economists and security analysts have argued, it has contributed to social and economic underdevelopment in the state. The uncurbed inflow, the emergence of parallel economies and the stress on public resources have conspired to leave Bengal lagging behind its peers in industrial growth, infrastructure and law and order.
Banerjee’s party has derived benefits from Bangladeshi “handles” — be they social, political or digital — and not simply by way of speculation. What is deeply disturbing is that instead of pursuing inclusive development, TMC has taken the easier route of identity politics, grievance-mongering and now a full-frontal attack on the very institutions meant to preserve the sanctity of the ballot.
One Protest at a Time, Undermining Democracy
What happened this past week sets a dangerous precedent. When a sitting Chief Minister attacks the Election Commission and raises the spectre of systemic rigging without evidence and in the face of judicial rebuke, she does more than cast aspersions on her opponents. She undermines the very foundations of democracy.
If Bengal today is at a crossroads, suspended between its past glory and its uncertain future, it is in no small measure because of the politics of suspicion, demographic engineering and institutional mistrust perfected by Mamata Banerjee. The state’s backwardness is not because of conspiracies cooked up in Delhi or imposed by the BJP. It is because of years of political opportunism, short-sighted leadership and a deliberate disregard for the very system she once swore to protect.
Mamata Banerjee can still win or lose this election. But the real loser, as the dust settles, is the idea of a self-confident constitutionally anchored Bengal—one that once led India in thought, industry and culture. She must take more than her share of the blame for that.
