Unofficial President’s rule imposed in West Bengal claims Mamata

Mamata Banerjee alleges unofficial President's rule in West Bengal, claiming a plot to strip citizenship and divide the state.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday (March 20, 2026) alleged that an “unofficial” and “self declared” President’s rule has been imposed in West Bengal.

“President’s rule has been imposed in West Bengal. Modi ji (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) has to hold elections in West Bengal under President’s rule. It is such a shame. They fear the people of the Bengal so much. Though the Centre has not pronounced it, but their actions point at the reality,” Ms. Banerjee said while releasing her party’s manifesto for the upcoming Assembly elections in West Bengal.

Reiterating her displeasure over the transfer of officers of the State by the Election Commission, she asked how will officers from other States alien to language, culture and geography of the State will conduct elections. About 50 senior officers including, State’s Chief Secretary, Home Secretary, Director General of Police and about a dozen of District magistrates and Superintend of Police have been transferred by the Election Commission over the past few dates since the model code of conduct came into force.

Ms. Banerjee claimed that the Centre was planning to “take away people’s citizenship” in the name of NRC (National Register of Citizens) and Census after the upcoming assembly elections in the state. She also said that there were plans to divide West Bengal, by creating a separate state craving out parts of north Bengal and Bihar. “They do not want West Bengal to exist,” she said.

Ms. Banerjee expressed apprehension that the judicial adjudication of about 60 lakh electors will not be completed before elections.

“I have heard that only 22 lakh cases have been adjudicated so far, out of which 10 lakh names have been deleted,” she said. The Trinamool Congress said that a particular community has been targeted through the exercise and said that she had knocked every door from the judiciary to the Election Commission.