Bengal: Oppn calls for govt change; says election must be free, fair and peaceful

Kolkata, March 15 (IANS) Opposition parties in West Bengal on Sunday called for a change of government in the state, saying the Assembly election must be free, fair, and peaceful.

BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya welcomed the Election Commission's decision to hold the West Bengal Assembly election in two phases.

"We welcome the two-phase elections in West Bengal. Elections are held in other states, but no reports of death or violence are reported from there. Only in West Bengal are people targeted by Trinamool Congress workers for voting for the Opposition. Here, violence is unleashed, and democracy is crushed. We want people of Bengal to change the situation. A change of government is the need of the hour," said Bhattacharya while speaking to media persons.

He also expressed confidence that the BJP will form the government in West Bengal on May 4, when the vote count will take place.

"There is no need to think about what the ruling party here is saying. People are tired of TMC's divisive, hate-filled politics. We will put an end to this. The Trinamool Congress will pay for its misdeeds in these Assembly polls," said Bhattacharya.

The CPI(M), meanwhile, said the full voters' list should have been published before the poll notification was announced.

CPI(M) state secretary Md Salim said, "Designating such a large number of people as ‘D-voters’ is not legally tenable. One is either a voter or one is not. Initially, a mapping exercise was conducted; subsequently, even for those who successfully established their identities during that mapping, attempts were made to exclude their names on various pretexts or to keep them in limbo. Both the Central and State governments have failed in this regard. This serves as proof that the offices of the BDO, SDO, and DM have degenerated into mere political lackeys. The BLOs and COs, too, have suffered from indecision."

Hitting out at the Election Commission, Salim further said, "How can they organise a fair, free and impartial vote when they cannot prepare a healthy voter list for everyone? The voter list that could not be prepared fairly, impartially, and free from communalism is being done in particular places, particular religions, particular booths, particular areas, to predetermine the outcome of the vote based on sheer numbers."

He even threatened to move court to include the names of valid voters in the supplementary voters' list.

"We will see this through to the very end. Our movement is underway to uphold voting rights and to establish democracy. There will be no politics of division here. We have consulted with our legal organisations. We appeal to all lawyers, those who cherish democracy and humanity, to join us; our legal professionals will form volunteer groups spanning from the Sub-divisional and District Courts to the High Court and the Supreme Court. We will stand firmly by the side of those under attack. We will fight to the very end to ensure that these voting rights are established."

Speaking to IANS, state Congress leader Ashutosh Chatterjee said there is no clarity on whether people under adjudication will be able to vote.

"What would happen to the 60 lakh people whose names are under adjudication? No specific guidelines were laid down during today's press conference. No discussion was held on the law-and-order situation. When will the supplementary voters' list be published? There is no clarity on these issues. Is the Election Commission an ambassador of the BJP? Why can it not say the election would be impartial?" said Chatterjee.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday announced a two-phase polling schedule for the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, April 23 and April 29, even as the fate of over 42 lakh voters referred for judicial adjudication after being classified under the “logical discrepancy” category remains uncertain.

According to figures from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, the total number of electors in the State was 7,66,37,529 before the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls was announced in November last year.

However, when the final voters’ list, excluding those referred for judicial adjudication, was published on February 28, the number of electors came down to 6,44,52,609.

--IANS

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