Electoral fraud: TMC alleges BJP opened ballot boxes in strongroom, posts video
The party further alleged that attempts to influence the election had escalated from name deletion and voter intimidation to alleged tampering with electronic voting machines (EVMs), calling it an act of desperation.
A fresh political storm has erupted in West Bengal ahead of vote counting on May 4, with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) sharing a video alleging serious electoral irregularities and accusing the BJP and the Election Commission of collusion.
In a strongly worded post on X, the TMC claimed that CCTV footage showed ballot boxes in one of the strongrooms at the Kshudiram Anushilan Kendra being opened without any relevant party stakeholders present, alleging gross electoral fraud carried out in active collusion between the BJP and the Election Commission. The counting centre has seven strongrooms, in which the ballot papers for the seven North Kolkata assembly seats are kept.
The party further alleged that attempts to influence the election had escalated from name deletion and voter intimidation to tampering with electronic voting machines (EVMs), calling it an act of desperation.
The allegations have triggered immediate protests. Senior TMC leaders Shashi Panja and Kunal Ghosh have begun a dharna outside Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata, while Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is expected to visit the site to assess the situation.
Meanwhile, Banerjee has reached Sakhawat Memorial Girls' High School, where ballots of Bhabanipur Assembly Constituency are kept. Ballots for several other South Kolkata constituencies are also kept in the school.
EC DENIES TMC'S ALLEGATIONS
Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has denied all the allegations that the Trinamool Congress has levelled against it.
The poll body said all seven strong rooms located within the Kshudiram Anushilan Kendra have been duly closed and sealed following the conclusion of polling.
In the statement, it further added that the process was completed in the early hours of Thursday morning, with the final room being secured at approximately 5:15 am. The sealing took place in the direct presence of candidates, election agents, and the General Observer to ensure maximum transparency and the safety of the polled Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
Addressing confusion over the visuals, the commission said a separate strong room in the same premises was designated for postal ballots. It added that constituency-wise segregation of postal ballots, including those received through the Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS), was being carried out in a corridor area from 4 pm.
An official communication from the Returning Officer of the Beleghata Assembly constituency in Kolkata had also asked candidates and their agents to remain present and observe the process at the district strongroom.
Later, in their respective press conferences, West Bengal poll body Chief Manoj Agarwal and the DEO of North Kolkata, Smita Pandey, dismissed the allegations of the strongroom being tampered with. Agarwal said that all the strongrooms were duly sealed. Pandey confirmed the segregation work that was carried out.
BANERJEE EARLIER ASKED WORKERS TO GUARD STRONGROOMS
The row comes amid heightened political tensions in the state, with Banerjee earlier urging party workers to stand guard round the clock at counting centres on May 4. Rejecting exit poll projections, she asserted that the TMC was headed for a decisive victory, claiming the party would cross the 226-seat mark.
In a video message, Banerjee asked candidates and senior leaders to personally monitor counting centres across all 294 constituencies and maintain constant vigilance. “Stand guard. If I can stand guard, so can you,” she said, calling for a 24-hour watch over the counting process.
She also dismissed exit polls projecting gains for the BJP, alleging they were aimed at demoralising TMC workers. Citing past elections, including 2021, Banerjee said such projections had failed to reflect actual results.
She also alleged that media narratives were being amplified to shape perception ahead of counting day, claiming the BJP had circulated messaging to television outlets. Banerjee said she had received intelligence inputs suggesting the projections were politically motivated.
“The reason they (BJP) orchestrated this media campaign is that they clearly realise they cannot stop us,” she said.
The TMC chief further warned workers to closely monitor the handling of EVMs, particularly during their movement from strong rooms to counting halls. She alleged there was a “plot to swap machines” during this critical window.
Banerjee also dismissed exit polls projecting gains for the BJP, citing past elections, including 2021, where such forecasts failed to match the final results.
EXIT POLLS TILT TOWARDS BJP IN BENGAL
At least five exit polls have projected an edge for the BJP in West Bengal, pointing to a possible shift in the state’s political landscape. Among them, Today’s Chanakya estimates around 192 seats for the BJP, well above the majority mark of 147, while the TMC is projected at about 100 seats and others remain marginal.
If these projections hold, it could mark a major turnaround, potentially ending the TMC’s 15-year dominance. The trend suggests a consolidation of support in favour of the BJP and a clear shift in voter preference.
West Bengal voted in two phases on April 23 and 29, recording turnout above 90 per cent amid heavy deployment of central forces. The BJP framed the high participation as a sign of “poriborton” or change.
While several surveys echo this trend, others suggest a closer contest or even a TMC lead, leaving the final outcome to be decided on May 4.
Elections 2026 | West Bengal Election | West Bengal Election Constituencies | West Bengal Election Schedule
A fresh political storm has erupted in West Bengal ahead of vote counting on May 4, with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) sharing a video alleging serious electoral irregularities and accusing the BJP and the Election Commission of collusion.
In a strongly worded post on X, the TMC claimed that CCTV footage showed ballot boxes in one of the strongrooms at the Kshudiram Anushilan Kendra being opened without any relevant party stakeholders present, alleging gross electoral fraud carried out in active collusion between the BJP and the Election Commission. The counting centre has seven strongrooms, in which the ballot papers for the seven North Kolkata assembly seats are kept.
The party further alleged that attempts to influence the election had escalated from name deletion and voter intimidation to tampering with electronic voting machines (EVMs), calling it an act of desperation.
The allegations have triggered immediate protests. Senior TMC leaders Shashi Panja and Kunal Ghosh have begun a dharna outside Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata, while Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is expected to visit the site to assess the situation.
Meanwhile, Banerjee has reached Sakhawat Memorial Girls' High School, where ballots of Bhabanipur Assembly Constituency are kept. Ballots for several other South Kolkata constituencies are also kept in the school.
EC DENIES TMC'S ALLEGATIONS
Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has denied all the allegations that the Trinamool Congress has levelled against it.
The poll body said all seven strong rooms located within the Kshudiram Anushilan Kendra have been duly closed and sealed following the conclusion of polling.
In the statement, it further added that the process was completed in the early hours of Thursday morning, with the final room being secured at approximately 5:15 am. The sealing took place in the direct presence of candidates, election agents, and the General Observer to ensure maximum transparency and the safety of the polled Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
Addressing confusion over the visuals, the commission said a separate strong room in the same premises was designated for postal ballots. It added that constituency-wise segregation of postal ballots, including those received through the Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS), was being carried out in a corridor area from 4 pm.
An official communication from the Returning Officer of the Beleghata Assembly constituency in Kolkata had also asked candidates and their agents to remain present and observe the process at the district strongroom.
Later, in their respective press conferences, West Bengal poll body Chief Manoj Agarwal and the DEO of North Kolkata, Smita Pandey, dismissed the allegations of the strongroom being tampered with. Agarwal said that all the strongrooms were duly sealed. Pandey confirmed the segregation work that was carried out.
BANERJEE EARLIER ASKED WORKERS TO GUARD STRONGROOMS
The row comes amid heightened political tensions in the state, with Banerjee earlier urging party workers to stand guard round the clock at counting centres on May 4. Rejecting exit poll projections, she asserted that the TMC was headed for a decisive victory, claiming the party would cross the 226-seat mark.
In a video message, Banerjee asked candidates and senior leaders to personally monitor counting centres across all 294 constituencies and maintain constant vigilance. “Stand guard. If I can stand guard, so can you,” she said, calling for a 24-hour watch over the counting process.
She also dismissed exit polls projecting gains for the BJP, alleging they were aimed at demoralising TMC workers. Citing past elections, including 2021, Banerjee said such projections had failed to reflect actual results.
She also alleged that media narratives were being amplified to shape perception ahead of counting day, claiming the BJP had circulated messaging to television outlets. Banerjee said she had received intelligence inputs suggesting the projections were politically motivated.
“The reason they (BJP) orchestrated this media campaign is that they clearly realise they cannot stop us,” she said.
The TMC chief further warned workers to closely monitor the handling of EVMs, particularly during their movement from strong rooms to counting halls. She alleged there was a “plot to swap machines” during this critical window.
Banerjee also dismissed exit polls projecting gains for the BJP, citing past elections, including 2021, where such forecasts failed to match the final results.
EXIT POLLS TILT TOWARDS BJP IN BENGAL
At least five exit polls have projected an edge for the BJP in West Bengal, pointing to a possible shift in the state’s political landscape. Among them, Today’s Chanakya estimates around 192 seats for the BJP, well above the majority mark of 147, while the TMC is projected at about 100 seats and others remain marginal.
If these projections hold, it could mark a major turnaround, potentially ending the TMC’s 15-year dominance. The trend suggests a consolidation of support in favour of the BJP and a clear shift in voter preference.
West Bengal voted in two phases on April 23 and 29, recording turnout above 90 per cent amid heavy deployment of central forces. The BJP framed the high participation as a sign of “poriborton” or change.
While several surveys echo this trend, others suggest a closer contest or even a TMC lead, leaving the final outcome to be decided on May 4.
Elections 2026 | West Bengal Election | West Bengal Election Constituencies | West Bengal Election Schedule
