“Raiding TMC offices, my plane & security staff”: Mamata calls BJP “shameless,” urges voters to reject them

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday launched a sweeping attack on the BJP during a high-voltage rally in Cooch Behar, accusing the party of manipulating voter lists, misusing central agencies, and attempting to influence the upcoming Assembly elections through money and intimidation. She urged voters and party workers to remain vigilant, prepare for all scenarios including re-polling, and ensure that democratic processes are upheld through “ballot, not bullet.”

Referring to the recent Supreme Court directive on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists, Mamata claimed that her legal battle helped restore 3.2 million deleted names. She instructed party workers to assist newly approved voters by preparing and distributing voter slips promptly, even advising them to keep “extra slips ready” overnight. She also alleged that votes of specific communities, including Rajbanshis and Matuas, were selectively removed, and warned people against sharing personal details with unknown agencies promising financial benefits.

Escalating her criticism, Mamata accused the BJP of deploying central agencies such as ED, CBI, and Income Tax in a “one-sided” manner during elections. She alleged that raids were being conducted on Trinamool Congress offices, candidates’ homes, and even her own security arrangements. Calling the situation unprecedented, she said she had “never seen such an election,” claiming that powers of the state police had been curtailed and replaced by external forces. She also referenced past incidents of violence, warning that similar tactics could be used again to disrupt polling.

The Chief Minister further alleged that large sums of money were being used to influence voters and even polling personnel, cautioning those assigned election duties not to “be sold.” She warned of possible attempts to create disturbances in strongholds to force re-polling and asked workers to be prepared for it. She also accused the BJP of promoting divisive politics, fielding independent candidates to split votes, and misleading people through what she described as a “flood of lies.”

On policy matters, Mamata criticised the Centre over issues ranging from women’s reservation to food habits, questioning the intent behind linking delimitation with reservation and accusing the BJP of interfering in cultural choices. She defended her government’s development record in North Bengal, countering claims made by the Prime Minister, and asserted that despite opposition from multiple fronts, she was “fighting alone” with the support of the people.