Mamata Banerjee's BIG allegation against BJP ahead of 2026 Bengal Assembly polls: ‘I have evidence’

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of adding fake voters from “Haryana and Gujarat” to the electoral rolls in Bengal with the alleged backing of the Election Commission (EC). CM Mamata Banerjee said, “I have evidence that an agency present in Bengal is replacing the Bengal voters' names with those from other states like Haryana, Gujarat and others while keeping the Voter ID card number the same. This is directly being done from Delhi.”

The allegations seemed to echo a similar accusation made by TMC's INDIA bloc ally, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), in Delhi ahead of the Assembly polls there. Notably, West Bengal Assembly polls are scheduled to be held in 2026.

Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP of using "the same strategy in Delhi and Maharashtra by enrolling voters from Haryana and Gujarat to influence elections".

"By doing the same, they (BJP) won in Maharashtra, Haryana and Delhi. You have two responsibilities- defeat the BJP and make Bengal win again. Don't worry, we will win again. We are Bengal, not Delhi or Maharashtra," CM Mamata Banerjee told TMC workers on Thursday.

Targeting the BJP, Mamata Banerjee instructed TMC leaders and workers to start physically verifying the voters' list, alleging that the BJP had manipulated it with "the support of the Election Commission of India (ECI)".

Mamata Banerjee warned that if necessary action was not taken to correct the electoral roll, her party would stage a dharna in front of the EC office.

"If I could go on a 26-day hunger strike during the anti-land acquisition movement in 2006, we can also launch a movement against the Election Commission. If required, we will protest indefinitely in front of the EC office to demand the removal of fake names from the voter roll," the TMC supremo said.

Mamata sets 215+ seat target for 2026 Bengal Assembly poll

Mamata Banerjee on Thursday set an ambitious goal of winning more than 215 of the total 294 seats in the state assembly in the 2026 polls, emphasising that the TMC would work to significantly reduce the BJP’s tally and secure a fourth consecutive term in power.

In 2021, the ruling TMC secured 213 seats, ensuring a comfortable majority, while the BJP won 77 seats. With the 2026 elections approaching, the TMC is working to consolidate its base and counter the BJP’s challenge.

"I agree with Abhishek (TMC MP and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee) that we should aim for at least one more seat than our 2021 tally. Our goal should be to secure 215 seats or more while ensuring that BJP, CPIM, and Congress candidates struggle to retain their deposits," Banerjee asserted.