“Will go to tribunal to restore deleted names”: Mamata raises voter list issue in Bongaon rally

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday launched a sharp attack over alleged voter list deletions, announcing that she would approach a tribunal to restore the names of those excluded. Addressing a rally in Bongaon, a key Matua stronghold, she described the deletions as a “conspiracy” and asserted that efforts would be made to reinstate the names before the elections.

Her remarks came after the Election Commission released figures indicating that out of nearly 60 lakh names under verification, just over 32 lakh were found eligible, while the rest were removed. Questioning the lack of clarity on the exclusions, Mamata Banerjee said that many genuine voters may have been affected, including women whose names were deleted after marriage due to relocation. She emphasised that such names must be restored and warned against any attempt to deny voting rights.

Taking a strong political stance, she cautioned against what she described as attempts to undermine the rights of the Matua community, stating that any such move would be firmly resisted. Without naming individuals, she also warned against efforts to create divisions within the influential Thakur family, saying such tactics would not yield political advantage. The issue has gained prominence amid an intense electoral contest involving members of the same family from rival parties.

The rally, held at Khayramari Stadium, marked a significant campaign push across multiple constituencies in the region. Mamata Banerjee reiterated that her party would take legal steps to address voter grievances and ensure fair participation in the electoral process, while also signalling strong opposition to any perceived irregularities in voter list management.