West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday, 26th March, accused the BJP of trying to influence the upcoming Assembly elections by creating situations like a possible lockdown and removing voters names from electoral rolls. She said her party will continue to fight back and will not be stopped by any such moves.
২০২১-এর লকডাউনে একাই লড়েছি, এখনও প্রস্তুত রয়েছি : মমতা
— Ei Samay (@Ei_Samay) March 26, 2026
Mamata Banerjee | All India Trinamool Congress | Lockdown Struggle | Bengal Politics#EiSamay #EiSamayLive #EiSamayOnline pic.twitter.com/qArm8e8Amt
Addressing a rally in Pandaveswar in Paschim Bardhaman while campaigning for TMC candidate Narendranath Chakraborty, Banerjee said there are indications that the Centre may consider a lockdown due to the ongoing fuel situation linked to the West Asia conflict. She said even if people are forced to stay at home, her party is ready to continue its campaign, recalling how the 2021 elections were fought during Covid-19 restrictions.
Her remarks came just before a virtual meeting called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss fuel supply issues. Banerjee pointed out that chief ministers from poll-bound states like West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu and Kerala have not been invited, raising questions about the purpose of the meeting.
She also spoke about rising fuel prices and delays in LPG cylinder delivery, saying people are now waiting up to 25 days after booking. She said families are struggling to manage basic needs, adding that the price of a domestic cylinder has gone up from around ₹400 earlier to nearly ₹1,100 now, along with higher petrol prices.
The TMC chief also targeted the BJP and the Election Commission over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists. She claimed that around 58 lakh names were removed in the first phase and another 60 lakh were put under adjudication, bringing the number close to 1.20 crore. According to her, this shows a planned effort to affect seats where TMC had performed well in the past.
She demanded that the Election Commission release the full list of deleted voters immediately so that affected people can challenge the decision as per court rules. Banerjee said her party will provide free legal help and set up camps across areas to assist voters whose names are missing. She added that due to TMC’s protests and legal efforts, several names have already been restored, but said all genuine voters must be included.
Warning against any trouble during polling and counting, she urged people to stay united and ensure peaceful elections, saying that one-party control will not be accepted.
Meanwhile, TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, while campaigning in Jalpaiguri and Kalchini, supported her claims. He said many people, including the elderly, are being forced to stand in long queues to verify their names under the SIR process and accused the BJP of diverting attention from key issues like jobs and housing.
He also criticised Union Home Minister Amit Shah over a past terror incident in Pahalgam, questioning the government’s response and accountability.
