After the TMC's defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections, Mamata Banerjee urged party workers to rebuild the organisation. (Image via X@AITCofficial)After the All India Trinamool Congress suffered an election setback in West Bengal, party chief and former Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee on Friday called a meeting for party workers and asked candidates who contested the recently concluded Assembly polls to help rebuild the organisation, news agency PTI reported. She also said anyone who wants to leave the party is free to do so and that she would repaint the vandalised party offices herself, if needed.At a meeting with the All India Trinamool Congress candidates at her Kalighat residence, Mamata Banerjee said the party would recover despite its heavy defeat in the recent assembly elections. The meeting was also attended by Abhishek Banerjee, national general secretary of the TMC.‘Those who are leaving for other parties, let them go’As quoted by party sources to PTI, on speaking with the party’s fate, Mamata Banerjee said, “Those who are leaving for other parties, let them go. I will rebuild the party afresh. To those who are staying, I say rebuild the damaged party offices, paint them and reopen them. If needed, I too will paint them. Trinamool Congress will never bow down. People’s mandate has been looted.”Her remark came days after TMC’s party offices were vandalised in post-poll violence across West Bengal. On April 5, Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP of selectively targeting TMC’s offices and attacking party’s workers and candidates.The meeting at Kalighat was called for candidates who contested on the behalf of TMC, amid reports of internal unrest and speculation that some leaders may leave the party after the election defeat.The TMC’s X handle also posted photographs of the meeting and praised the contesting candidates for their fight during the election campaign. The post read: “Today, our Hon’ble Chairperson @MamataOfficial and our Hon’ble National General Secretary @abhishekaitc met with our contesting candidates at Kalighat. They fought with unmatched courage despite facing unimaginable atrocities and relentless intimidation.“The Trinamool Congress stands united as one family. We will never bow before those who loot the people’s mandate. Truth will prevail,” the party posted on X on Friday.Today, our Hon’ble Chairperson @MamataOfficial and our Hon’ble National General Secretary @abhishekaitc met with our contesting candidates, at Kalighat.They fought with unmatched courage despite facing unimaginable atrocities and relentless intimidation.The Trinamool Congress… pic.twitter.com/u4Of6S1D4l— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) May 15, 2026The post repeated the party’s claim that the election mandate had been “stolen”, an allegation party leaders have made since the results were announced. Party sources were quoted by PTI as saying that Mamata Banerjee sought to boost the morale of candidates and send a message of unity during a “difficult time” for the party.Story continues below this ad‘I know many will leave for other parties’: Mamata after poll resultsAt the meeting, Banerjee reiterated her remarks that she made a day after the poll results were declared. Addressing a press conference on May 5, the party supremo had said she was aware that some leaders might switch camps. “I know many will leave for other parties. They may have their own compulsions. I have nothing to say about that. Whoever wants to go may go. I do not believe in forcibly holding anyone back,” she had said.In the 2026 Assembly elections in West Bengal, the BJP won 207 of the 294 seats while TMC secured 80 seats. In another setback for Mamata Banerjee, she lost her Bhabanipur seat to former ally Suvendu Adhikari, who is now with the BJP and is the first Chief Minister of the BJP government in the state.The TMC had fielded candidates in 291 seats, leaving three seats in the Darjeeling hills to its ally Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) led by Anit Thapa. Of these, only 80 candidates emerged victorious, while 211 lost, including several heavyweight leaders and ministers.