Trinamool Congress Party chief suffers worst electoral setback in years Mamata Banerjee On Saturday, he told the leaders unhappy with the situation that they were free to leave amid internal dissent.According to news agency PTI report, at a recent meeting with the party’s candidates contesting the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, which was held at her Kalighat residence and which was attended by the party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, Mamata made a derogatory comment despite the crushing defeat.“Those who are going to other parties, let them go. I will rebuild the party,” party sources quoted her as saying in a message aimed at allaying speculations of defection after the election defeat.He asked loyalists to restore damaged party offices across the state and reconnect with workers at the grassroots level. “Those who are living, I tell them to reconstruct the damaged party offices, paint them and reopen them. If needed, I will also paint them. Trinamool Congress will never bow down. The people’s mandate has been looted,” she said.The comments come amid growing reports of internal dissent within the TMC after the party moved from power to opposition in a dramatic electoral upset.Out of 294 assembly seats, TMC won only 80 seats. Mamata herself lost from Bhabanipur, which was considered her stronghold for a long time. The party had contested 291 seats, including three in the Darjeeling hills, for its ally Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha led by Anit Thapa, but only 80 of its candidates emerged victorious.Saturday’s closed-door meeting was called amid signs of unrest among the losing candidates and rumors of leaders switching sides after the defeat. Mamata had hinted at such a possibility soon after the results were declared.She had said on May 5, “I know many people will move to other parties. They may have their own compulsions. Anyone who wants to go can go. I don’t believe in forcibly stopping anyone.”TMC later shared photos of the meeting on Twitter, showcasing unity and praising its candidates for a spirited fight despite “atrocities and intimidation” during the election campaign.