Kolkata: In a fiery election rally that has set Bengal’s political cauldron boiling, Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee launched a no-holds-barred attack on the BJP, raising the pitch ahead of the 2026 Assembly polls.
Addressing a massive crowd in Purulia, she accused the saffron party of hatching conspiracies against her and even hinted at a possible threat to her life.
Without naming Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Mamata took a sharp dig at his recent “chargesheet” against the TMC. “One big leader has issued a chargesheet, but where was he when people were brought back from abroad in chains?” she asked, turning the tables on the BJP.
The Bengal CM painted a grim picture of BJP-ruled states, claiming that the party comes to power by sparking riots and then commits atrocities on tribals and women. She alleged that after initially giving money to people, the BJP abruptly stopped it. In some states, she said, even fish, egg, and meat have been banned – a remark that drew loud cheers from the audience worried about their daily food habits.
Mamata saved her biggest salvo for the voter list controversy. She claimed that nearly 1.20 crore names have been quietly deleted through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). “My party will set up camps to help those whose names have been removed,” she assured, while appealing especially to women voters to stay alert on polling day. “Some people are planning to hold elections again. Be careful,” she warned.
Recalling the violence during the last polls when she campaigned from a wheelchair after injuring her leg, Mamata asked pointedly: “Is a fresh conspiracy being hatched against me? Their statements smell of a plot.”
The rally has once again brought the focus on alleged voter suppression, personal security concerns, and cultural fears – issues that are likely to dominate the high-stakes Bengal battle in the coming months.