West Bengal Election 2026: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has alleged that while the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre has brought armoured vehicles for the Assembly elections in the state, it failed to prevent the terror attack at Pahalgam a year ago.
Addressing an election rally in her Rashbehari constituency in south Kolkata on Sunday, Banerjee hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his remarks that women feel unsafe in the city and other parts of the state, terming the allegations a "pack of lies".
"Over two lakh central forces have been brought to Bengal, along with armoured vehicles used by the Army in Kashmir, for the state Assembly poll at the instruction of Modi and Shah. Will they explain where these vehicles and security were when Pakistan-sponsored terrorists sneaked into Pahalgam and gunned down 26 civilians?" she said at a meeting in the Camac Street area.
West Bengal is voting in two phases to elect a new government. The first phase was held on 23 April with a bumper 93% voting. The second phase across 142 seats, including Rashbehari, is voting on Wednesday. The BJP has fielded former Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Das Gupta from the seat against TMC's Debasish Kumar, who also won in the 2021 polls.
Alleging bias in the deployment of forces, Banerjee said police officials "loyal to one party" were brought in by the Election Commission to oversee polling.
"After May 4, these personnel may not be in charge any more," she said.
The election in West Bengal is largely considered bipolar between the ruling TMC and a resurgent BJP. The results will be announced on 4 May.
Banerjee urged women voters to remain vigilant during polling and counting, alleging attempts at manipulation. "Remember, even the central forces will be working under the instructions of the Election Commission. So even at the cost of sacrificing your cooking for two days after voting, keep a close watch on polling booths and counting centres to prevent any tampering of EVMs," she said.
‘60 lakh Hindu voters and 30 lakh Muslim voters deleted’
At another rally in the Mansatala area, Banerjee, while referring to allegations that the TMC has an understanding with the BJP, said those making such claims did not support affected people during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, indicating the CPI(M) and the Congress.
"When the names of 60 lakh Hindu voters and 30 lakh Muslim voters were omitted, I had said let us go together to the Election Commission, but none of them came. We went to the Supreme Court and got 32 lakh names restored," she claimed.
"Now it pains me that full justice could not be done. Many won't be able to cast votes this time, but we will fight for them," she said.
Alleging that the election is taking place "under the guidance of the BJP," she termed the saffron party as autocratic and exercising atrocities.
She also advised voters to keep photocopies of their voter slips, alleging that the BJP might attempt to bring in NRC-like measures.
Sharpening her attack on Home Minister Amit Shah, she said he had planned to occupy Waqf land, but “people of our party did not allow it to happen.”
Now it pains me that full justice could not be done. Many won't be able to cast votes this time, but we will fight for them.
The CM said, while her party has already crossed the 100-seat mark after the first phase of polls, "in the second phase, we will cross double century."
