Mumbai: Sanjay Raut, Rajya Sabha MP from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena, Friday wrote an open letter to US President Donald Trump taking objection to his congratulatory messages to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) victory in West Bengal, and urging Trump to “emphasise on democratic values” instead.
In a post tagging Trump on X, Raut said he was responding to Trump’s best wishes to Modi following victory in the West Bengal assembly polls.
Calling Trump’s endorsement “premature and misplaced”, Raut wrote: “These are state-level elections – an internal matter of India’s federal democracy.”
He further underlined “serious concerns (that) have emerged” following the polls. “Numerous complaints allege an atmosphere of fear, intimidation, and systemic pressure. There are widespread perceptions that the Election Commission did not act impartially and that its functioning appeared to favor the BJP, raising questions about institutional neutrality,” he stated.
Dear President @realDonaldTrump
Greetings.
As a Member of Parliament from India, I write in response to reports of your congratulations to PM Narendra Modi on the West Bengal Assembly election results.
These are state-level elections—an internal matter of India’s federal…
— Sanjay Raut (@rautsanjay61) May 8, 2026
“Equally troubling are allegations regarding the extensive deployment of central forces, which many believe created coercion rather than confidence,” he added.
Raut then urged Trump to “emphasise democratic values” and have a “more informed and balanced view”.
“Democracy is not just about elections – it is about ensuring they are free, fair, and credible. When serious allegations arise, they warrant scrutiny, not celebration. Were these concerns considered before your statement?” he asked.
Of the 293 seats in the Bengal Assembly, the BJP won 207 and dislodged the Trinamool Congress government led by Mamata Banerjee, which came in second winning 80 seats, ending its 15-year rule in the state.
After the BJP registered a breakthrough in West Bengal in the elections, Trump had congratulated Modi on the victory.
“The President congratulates Prime Minister Modi on this recent, historic and decisive election victory,” White House spokesperson Kush Desai told reporters Tuesday, a day after vote counting.
“Just last month on their phone call, President Trump expressed to Prime Minister Modi his admiration and how lucky India is to have him as its leader.”
Sanjay Raut is a four-term Rajya Sabha MP from Maharashtra. He has been among the INDIA bloc leaders backing Mamata Banerjee after the results.
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)
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