Battle of state: Abhishek flays BJP over ‘misinformation’, voter roll tampering

Kolkata: Abhishek Banerjee, national general secretary of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), on Friday, held three campaign rallies across Bengal, sharpening his attack on the BJP while highlighting farmer distress, electoral integrity concerns and shifting local political momentum ahead of the Assembly polls. He alleged that a BJP leader’s son secured candidature through “understanding” with the Union Home minister and accused the party of misleading Bengal potato farmers.

Addressing rallies in Khanakul (Hooghly), Banerjee accused the BJP of running a “campaign of misinformation” among farmers. He asserted that there were no restrictions on potato movement or exports, citing dispatches from Pursurah and Tarakeswar to northeastern states, and alleged that rising input costs under the Centre were hurting cultivators.

“We will be on vigil to stop the deletion of a single authorised voter. We will not allow them to get away with that,” said Banerjee at the rally.

“There is the next hearing date at the Supreme Court on April 6. We will wait. But let me assert, if your name is absent from the rolls, the party will take up the matter with the CEO’s office. Also, if your name is missing, make an online appeal through our department,” he said. Banerjee claimed that a few days ago, the TMC detected a bid “to submit sackfuls of Form 6 files to the CEO’s office in Kolkata”.

“The BJP is trying to influence the EC for inclusion of names of voters living outside Bengal in the electoral rolls, repeating their strategy in Maharashtra assembly polls, where they had similarly omitted names of lakhs of legitimate voters and then included names of voters from other states. Bengal is not like other states. Bengal will not allow BJP’s game plan to succeed,” he said.

“When BJP candidates visit your locality, treat them with sweets and sherbet and gently ask what their report card is. Ask them about the deletion of names, but please remain peaceful. Everyone should be allowed to campaign peacefully, and you should give your reply through the EVM,” he added.

Targeting a BJP-backed candidate in Joypur, Banerjee alleged that Ajit Mahato secured the nomination for his son Dibakar Mahato after meeting the Union Home Minister. He described the candidate as an “outsider” from Baghmundi with “no independent identity”, claiming he was contesting solely on his father’s political backing. On electoral integrity, Banerjee alleged pressure on the Election Commission to delete names of genuine voters while facilitating fresh inclusions through Form 6. Referring to the April 6 hearing in the Supreme Court of India, he assured voters that the party would assist those whose names were missing by taking up complaints with the Chief Electoral Officer and enabling online appeals. In Bankura, he underscored growing support for the ruling party, particularly in Indas, attributing the turnaround to welfare outreach and development under Mamata Banerjee, including Lakshmir Bhandar and Banglar Bari.

Banerjee also attacked the BJP over price rise and governance issues, while urging voters to maintain peace and “respond through the EVM” in the upcoming polls.

The elections to the 294-member West Bengal Assembly will be held in two phases — on April 23 and 29. Votes will be counted on May 4.