Mamata Banerjee on Thursday alleged that the BJP was manipulating electoral rolls in collusion with the Election Commission of India and threatened an indefinite dharna outside the panel’s office.
“For general and Assembly elections, the BJP’s agencies replace (officials in the civil and police administration) and bring in BJP-minded observers, in addition to central forces. All of them work together to deter people from voting for Trinamool here... I had never seen such a dire scene in this country,” said the chief minister.
She was addressing an extended state conference of the Trinamool Congress at the Netaji Indoor Stadium here.
“Voter lists have to be thoroughly cleansed. Or else, there really won’t be any need to go to the polls. But do not be scared…. They have basically manipulated electoral rolls online using agencies (she named a couple of private entities)… also sent many people here,” the Trinamool chairperson said.
“They have gone to data operators with a few AROs (assistant returning officers) to attach multiple names to one voter card, without any field survey. This was done to allow outsiders to vote, instead of the people from the state,” she added.
That Mamata made the alleged bid to sabotage the electoral outcome in Bengal the sole area of focus in the 61-minute address suggests this would be a foremost plank of her campaign in the Assembly polls next year.
“This cat is out of the bag now. The BJP is manipulating electoral rolls with the blessings of the Election Commission…. They are doing adharma in the name of dharma,” added Mamata, going on to wonder aloud why state officials feared the “threats” of punitive action and did Nirvachan Sadan’s bidding during electioneering. “They are here for two-three months, but we are here for five years. Why this fear and worry?”
Mamata also raised serious questions on the contentious appointment of Gyanesh Kumar as the chief election commissioner (that too till January 2029) and accused the BJP of hijacking the constitutional, autonomous custodian of all major elections in the country.
“Do you even know who was appointed as the chief election commissioner? I will introduce him because this is important — a secretary who reported to the Union home minister (Amit Shah)… they are filling it with BJP people!” said the chief minister, holding up what she said were lists of valid electors from Bengal whose voter card numbers had been compromised, citing several instances purportedly substantiating her claim.
“If necessary, we will sit in a dharna and protest indefinitely in front of the commission’s office,” she said.
It wasn't clear whether she meant the EC office in Calcutta or New Delhi.
The TMC chief said all Trinamool workers and leaders must immediately start work on physical verification of the electoral roll.
She directed Trinamool state president Subrata Bakshi to head a committee to examine the electoral roll in every corner of Bengal. The committee will comprise her nephew Abhishek Banerjee and other leaders. The initial verification process must begin on Friday and be completed within 10 days, said Mamata.
The BJP’s chief spokesperson for Bengal, Samik Bhattacharya, said Mamata was making such statements solely to boost the allegedly flagging morale of her party’s rank and file, claiming that she knew 2026 was a lost cause for her.
“Besides, the entire world is aware of Trinamool’s mastery in every form of electoral malpractice and loot of a mass mandate. If she truly is confident of what she has delivered, why does she repeatedly encourage violence?” asked Bhattacharya.