New Delhi

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday slammed Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee after she refused to resign from the Chief Minister post, criticising her for "rejecting" the people's mandate after defeat in West Bengal Assembly elections.

In a post on X, Pradhan said that "democracy is being held at gunpoint" as he blasted Mamata Banerjee for taking her position as an "entitlement," exposing her governance model of "intimidation and political patronage".

"The electoral verdict lays this reality bare. Mandates are being treated less like the people's voice and more like suggestions open to rejection. The refusal of Mamata Banerjee to accept the spirit of the mandate raises a serious question: Is power being treated as a responsibility or merely as an entitlement?" he said.

"People of Bengal would've expected humility after a public mandate. What we are witnessing instead is resistance to accountability by Trinamool Congress. In the process of clinging to power, Mamata Banerjee is not just rejecting the people's mandate but also attempting to erode the credibility of institutions like the Election Commission and security forces, undermining the very pillars that ensure free, fair and secure elections," he added.

Continuing his attack, Pradhan said, "Bengal had long been subjected to a governance model marked by intimidation, syndicate networks and entrenched political patronage. Her defiance is not an exception. It is the clearest confirmation of that very system. A true democrat bows to the people. A dictator clings to office despite them."

Pradhan further said that Mamata Banerjee's rejection of public mandate is "undermining the foundation of democratic legitimacy."

"This mandate of Bengal is a rejection of fear, a rejection of coercion and a demand for accountability. To ignore it is to undermine the very foundation of democratic legitimacy. The Constitution of India does not recognise stubbornness as a virtue in governance. Accountability is not optional and mandates are non- negotiable," he said.

Outgoing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee sparked a firestorm by firmly rejecting calls for her resignation, despite the BJP securing a commanding two-thirds majority.

The election results, which saw the BJP surge to 207 seats and relegate the Trinamool Congress (TMC) to just 80, mark a seismic shift in Bengal's political landscape. However, the transition of power appears far from seamless.

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Addressing the media on Tuesday, a defiant Banerjee accused the Election Commission (EC) and the BJP of "looting" the democratic process. Despite the numbers, she insisted that her party remains the moral victor.

"I will not resign. I did not lose. I will not go to Raj Bhavan... the question doesn't arise. We didn't lose the election. They can defeat us officially through the Election Commission, but morally we won the election," Mamata Banerjee asserted.