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Sanjay Raut accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and the Union Cabinet of focusing solely on elections instead of governance.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut
Assembly Elections 2026: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Tuesday launched a scathing attack at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after the latter’s historic victory in West Bengal and Assam assembly elections, claiming that these were not genuine victories but the result of systemic manipulation.
While speaking to reporters, the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said that opposition parties across states is increasingly convinced that several election outcomes were not victories, but thefts. Raut claimed that the defeat of the TMC in West Bengal was not merely political but the outcome of a larger “machinery,” involving institutions such as the Election Commission and central forces. He also alleged that nearly 30 lakh voters were denied their right to vote.
“This election was not won, it was stolen,” Raut said, urging support for Mamata Banerjee.
He further alleged that a similar pattern was visible in multiple states, including Maharashtra, Bihar, Haryana, Assam and Odisha, where, according to him, elections were conducted in a manner that ensured the ruling party’s victory.
Raut further accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and the Union Cabinet of focusing solely on elections instead of governance.
“They practise elections 365 days a year. Development, employment, women’s safety these are not their priorities. Their only priority is how to fight and win elections,” he said.
Raising concerns about the health of democracy, Raut claimed that such electoral processes undermine public trust. He alleged that voter deletions, misuse of power and money, and prolonged campaigning by top leaders distorted the fairness of elections.
#WATCH | Mumbai, Maharashtra: On the result of the Assembly elections, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut says, “I believe this is not a victory for democracy. It is definitely a victory for PM Modi and Amit Shah. Just like in West Bengal and other states, the names of millions… pic.twitter.com/rHMfmGUfGg— ANI (@ANI) May 5, 2026
“If the ruling party decides the Opposition should not exist, then what is the point of elections?” he asked, adding that such trends resemble practices seen in other countries.
He also criticised Mamata Banerjee, saying the results in West Bengal could have been different had she coordinated more closely with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. He described Gandhi as a “visionary leader” and said his warnings about the elections had proven correct.
“Certainly, Rahul Gandhi was repeatedly saying that this is a very big crime of Mamata Didi. His words were not heeded. If Mamata Didi had sat with Rahul Gandhi and discussed, the result could have been different. Whatever Rahul Gandhi said has come true. He is a leader with foresight, he has vision. In West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, the elections have been rigged,” he said.
Raut further predicted a similar fate for the BJP PM Modi, comparing it to the defeat of Indira Gandhi. “This is what is going to happen to Modi. This is what is going to happen to BJP… Whenever the lamp is lit, the fire in our Marathas gets bigger. The fire gets stronger,” he added.
Assembly Elections Results 2026
BJP won 206 seats in West Bengal, recording a historic win in the state, outperforming its 77-seat tally in the 2021 Assembly elections. Trinamool Congress, which swept the last assembly poll by winning 212 seats, finished a distant second with 80 seats.
In Assam, NDA scored a spectacular victory, winning a three-fourths majority. BJP scored a two-thirds majority on its own in the northeastern state, winning 206 seats.
BJP’s allies, Bodoland Peoples Front and Asom Gana Parishad, won 10 seats each.
Congress has won 15 seats. All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) won one seat, and All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) won two seats.
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