In a subtle yet significant move, Mamata Banerjee appears to have acknowledged her exit from office days after publicly resisting calls to resign. The Trinamool Congress leader has revised her profile on X, describing herself as having served as Chief Minister during the 15th, 16th and 17th Vidhan Sabhas — wording that points to her tenure being in the past.

The update comes alongside the swearing-in ceremony of the new government in West Bengal. Senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, who defeated Banerjee in Bhabanipur in the recent Assembly election, took oath as the state’s first Chief Minister from the Bharatiya Janata Party.

From Defiance to Digital Concession

Earlier this week, Banerjee had strongly rejected the idea of stepping down despite her party, the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), securing only 80 seats in the 294-member Assembly. She argued that the outcome did not reflect the will of the people and alleged serious discrepancies in the counting process.

Addressing the media, the veteran leader claimed that several constituencies were unfairly taken away from her party and suggested that the pace of counting was deliberately manipulated. She maintained that the verdict was the result of a broader conspiracy rather than a genuine public mandate, insisting there was no reason for her resignation.

BJP’s Landslide Victory

The BJP, however, secured a commanding 207 seats, marking a decisive shift in the state’s political landscape and bringing an end to Banerjee’s 15-year stint in power. Party leaders criticised her earlier refusal to step aside, describing it as inconsistent with democratic norms.

While Banerjee has not issued a formal statement announcing her resignation, the change in her public bio has been widely interpreted as an acknowledgment of the new political reality in West Bengal.