'Only Rafales, warships left to be deployed' says Abhishek after casting vote

Voting in the second phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections, covering 142 constituencies under heavy security arrangements, witnessed sharp political remarks from Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee immediately after he cast his vote. The TMC leader targeted the Election Commission over what he described as excessive deployment of central forces across the state.

Banerjee said the scale of security deployment in Bengal was unprecedented, claiming, “only Rafale jets are left to be deployed in Bengal.” He further remarked that even naval warships were yet to be deployed, and compared the arrangement to wartime security measures, stating that forces meant for external threats were being used in the state’s electoral process.

He also accused the Election Commission of acting under influence and said that despite the large-scale deployment of central forces and observers, the Trinamool Congress was confident of a strong victory. Banerjee asserted that the party would secure more seats than in the 2021 elections and claimed that public support remained firmly with them.

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also raised concerns over election management, alleging removal of party posters and intimidation through administrative actions. She questioned the conduct of newly deployed officials and said that voters, not security forces, should determine the outcome of the election, while polling continued across multiple districts under tight surveillance.