The firebrand Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee’s assertion that she will not resign from the chief ministership of the pivotal eastern state of West Bengal is, in itself, constitutionally unacceptable. A sitting chief minister is required to step down once an election process is concluded, however contested it might be.

She would do well to remember her own personal icon — Indira Gandhi — did not hesitate to step down from the prime minister’s chair when the Congress lost the litmus test in 1977. However, her contention that the “gold standard” of elections may not have been met in West Bengal in the recently held elections does merit closer scrutiny.

Electoral arithmetic and voter exclusion concerns

The electoral arithmetic underscores the reasons why the fiery politician is alleging that this election was an........

© Free Press Journal