Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 6 : Uttar Pradesh Minister Jaiveer Singh on Wednesday strongly criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for disrespecting the people's mandate and "insulting the beauty of democracy" by refusing to resign following her party's loss in the recent elections.
Talking to ANI, Singh said, "According to the Constitutional framework, Mamata Banerjee's term ends on May 7, and she will automatically be removed from office. It is morally responsible and correct for someone to resign voluntarily after losing an election. By refusing to do so, she is insulting the beauty of democracy. She should respect and accept the people's mandate and thank the people who voted for her."
Other political figures also weighed in, echoing Singh's sentiments.
Uttar Pradesh Minister Danish Azad Ansari also expressed concern over Mamata Banerjee's apparent political frustration, calling it an insult to the people's mandate.
"The victory of democracy in Bengal is being celebrated all over the world. At a time like this, Mamata Banerjee's political frustration reflects in her attitude. She is continuously insulting the people's mandate. It has been her history to disregard the Constitution and democracy," Ansari told ANI.
Ansari also extended his gratitude to the people of Bengal for trusting the BJP and voting for them.
"We are thankful to the people of Bengal for showing trust and massively voting for the BJP. We want to assure that Bengal will be taken to the pinnacle of development under the leadership of PM Modi," he said.
BJP MP Jagdambika Pal too lashed out at Banerjee's defiance of the election results, stressing her disregard for the Constitution.
"If Mamata Banerjee is refusing to resign, it is an insult to the mandate of the people of Bengal. The people who talk about the Constitution should also have knowledge about Article 172, which states that the tenure of the state's Assembly is limited to 5 years, after which it gets dissolved. Article 164 gives the right to the Governor to appoint the CM of the state. Her refusal shows that she does not trust democracy," Pal told ANI.
The remarks come after a defiant Banerjee on Tuesday 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.
West Bengal has been thrust into a constitutional and political standoff following the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) landmark victory in the state assembly elections.
Outgoing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has 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.
BJP created history on May 4 in the assembly polls results, with the party slated to form its first government in West Bengal and the party-led NDA scoring a hat-trick of victories in Assam.
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