EC targeting Bhabanipur with 40,000 voter deletions… yet I will win: Mamata

The BJP has fielded Leader of Opposition in Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, from Bhabanipur in a bid to repeat the 2021 Nandigram faceoff between Mamata and her aide-turned-rival Adhikari, in which the latter emerged victorious.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to campaign for Adhikari in Bhabanipur on Thursday.

The chief minister also welcomed the Supreme Court’s observation that submission of Form 6 for inclusion of names in the electoral roll “cannot be done in a hidden manner and there is a right to raise objections”.

The chief minister on Tuesday had accused the poll panel of being involved with the BJP in a “grave conspiracy” of manipulating the electoral roll by submitting Form 6 applications of “outsiders” in the state.

“I am happy today. The Supreme Court has given a good verdict. They were filling sacks with ‘lotus’ (BJP) forms—Form 6—to insert names from outside the state. The Supreme Court has ruled that this cannot happen,” the CM said.

The TMC chief, however, urged party candidates to be extra cautious while filing their nomination papers for the elections. “Everything has changed. A new system has been established. Those appointed by the Election Commission have been given the responsibility to cancel your nominations. Therefore, be careful while submitting them,” Mamata said.

Lashing out at the BJP for using the EC to target the TMC, she said, “If you want to fight, fight face-to-face. Why are you doing it stealthily? They call Trinamool leaders ‘thieves’! There are many BJP leaders here whose own party members have demanded an investigation. I have those documents as well. TMC is not a thief. The BJP has looted everything,” she added.

The TMC chief also warned her party workers to check the EVMs. “From the day of polling and till the day of counting, stay aware. Check the EVMs. Make sure that voting is not allowed if a machine malfunctions,” she said to party supporters.

She also claimed that the BJP government at the Centre will not survive after the Assembly election results in West Bengal. “The government will fall in 2026. This time, they have crossed all limits. You have created division among administrative officials. You may try to hand-pick officers, but remember, everyone is our people. You may send observers who hail from other states, but remember, they will not vote. People will vote. Bengal is different. People of Bihar, Maharashtra and Haryana could not understand your tricks,” she said.

“They are saying that violence is rampant in Bengal. In reality, Bengal is a land of peace, unity and culture,” she added.