Mamata Banerjee has refused to resign following the BJP’s decisive electoral victory, alleging that the verdict was shaped by a “conspiracy.” Despite the Bharatiya Janata Party securing 206 seats and ending the 15-year rule of the Trinamool Congress, Banerjee maintained that her party had achieved a “moral victory.” She asserted that she would have stepped down if the defeat was genuine, but claimed the outcome was influenced by forceful interference. Banerjee also launched a sharp attack on the Election Commission of India, accusing it of bias and alleging that the electoral process was manipulated in favor of the BJP. The TMC has claimed that the mandate was “looted” in nearly 100 constituencies, citing irregularities and delays during counting. WATCH

Gyanesh Kumar has officially taken over as India’s 26th Chief Election Commissioner on February 19, 2025. The decision to appoint Gyanesh Kumar as the Chief Election Commissioner was made during a meeting of a three-member selection committee, which included Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi. A retired IAS officer from the 1988 batch of the Kerala cadre, Kumar has a strong background in administration and governance. He completed his BTech in Civil Engineering from IIT Kanpur, followed by a degree in Business Finance from ICFAI, India. After that, he went to Harvard University in the US to study Environmental Economics before joining the Indian Administrative Services. Throughout his career, Kumar held important roles in both state and central governments. Watch video for more information.