West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee survived a no-confidence motion in the state assembly on Thursday, winning the floor test 152-108 despite a week of intense political drama triggered by defections of three Trinamool Congress MLAs to the BJP and renewed corruption allegations against senior cabinet ministers. The vote, conducted by secret ballot at the Speaker insistence over TMC objections, reaffirmed Banerjee majority but exposed fractures within the ruling coalition that political observers said could deepen ahead of next year municipal elections.
Banerjee, addressing the assembly after the vote, called the motion a politically motivated conspiracy orchestrated from Delhi and declared she would not be intimidated. BJP state president Suvendu Adhikari said the motion exposed Banerjee weakened hold over her legislators and promised to build a stronger challenge in the upcoming municipal polls. The three defecting MLAs were disqualified by the Speaker under the anti-defection law, vacating their seats and triggering by-elections in three constituencies where TMC is considered strong. Analysts called the outcome a qualified victory for Banerjee that leaves unresolved tensions within the ruling party.