A fresh political storm has erupted in West Bengal ahead of vote counting on May 4, after the Trinamool Congress (TMC) released a video alleging serious electoral irregularities and accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Election Commission of India (ECI) of collusion. In a strongly worded post on X, the TMC claimed that CCTV footage showed ballot boxes in the Kshudiram Anushilan Kendra strongroom being opened without the presence of party representatives, calling it a case of “gross electoral fraud.” The party alleged that attempts to influence the election had escalated from voter intimidation and name deletion to tampering with Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), terming it an act of desperation.
The allegations sparked protests, with senior leaders Shashi Panja and Kunal Ghosh staging a dharna in Kolkata, while Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited key strongroom sites, including Sakhawat Memorial Girls’ High School. However, the ECI has firmly denied the claims, stating that all strongrooms were sealed in the presence of candidates and observers, ensuring transparency and security of EVMs and postal ballots. Amid rising tensions, Banerjee urged party workers to guard counting centres round the clock, warning of a possible attempt to tamper with machines during transit. She also rejected exit poll predictions favouring the BJP, alleging a coordinated media narrative aimed at demoralising TMC workers. Meanwhile, several exit polls have indicated an edge for the BJP, projecting a potential shift in the state’s political landscape, although others suggest a closer contest. With high v
