Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) of attempting to include names of alleged infiltrators in electoral rolls, sparking a fresh political row, reported the PTI.
Speaking at a press conference in Kolkata, CM Fadnavis questioned why the TMC was opposing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists. He claimed that individuals whose names were removed for “valid reasons” had not raised objections.
Fadnavis stated that the Special Intensive Revision exercise includes constitutional safeguards, allowing individuals to seek corrections or appeal if they believe they have been wrongly excluded. He also referred to observations made by the Supreme Court of India, noting that while the court commented on the process, it did not halt it.
He added that such revisions should ideally be conducted every ten years to remove names of deceased, relocated, or ineligible voters.
Allegations against TMC
The Chief Minister alleged that the TMC’s opposition to the revision exercise was politically motivated, claiming the party aimed to gain an advantage in upcoming assembly elections through “fraudulent means”, according to the PTI.
Addressing TMC’s claims of attacks on Bengali-speaking migrants in BJP-ruled states, including Maharashtra, Fadnavis denied the allegations. However, he said it was important to examine why many people from West Bengal were moving to other states in search of employment.
CM Fadnavis remarked that it reflected poorly on the state government if people had to leave for all types of jobs, not just high-skilled roles. He suggested that the issue pointed to shortcomings in employment opportunities.
Bengali communities in Maharashtra
He also highlighted the presence of large Bengali communities in cities such as Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur. According to him, these communities celebrate festivals like Durga Puja and Kali Puja on a grand scale, with arrangements comparable to those in Kolkata.
Over 2,900 candidates in fray for WB polls
The Election Commission of India (ECI) earlier this week announced that a total of 2,926 candidates will contest the upcoming West Bengal Assembly Elections 2026.
Voting will take place in two phases on April 23 and April 29, with results scheduled to be declared on May 4.
According to the official statement, the ECI said that in the Phase 1, 1,478 candidates across 152 constituencies are in fray whereas in Phase 2, 1,448 candidates across 142 constituencies were contesting, the news agency reported.
The deadline for filing nominations for Phase 2 was April 9 and the scrutiny was completed on April 10.
The candidates were allowed to withdraw until April 13, officials said.
High-stakes political contest
The elections are expected to see an intense contest between the ruling All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The TMC, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, is seeking a fourth consecutive term. Meanwhile, the BJP is aiming to form the government after improving its performance in the previous election.
(with PTI inputs)