Political Turmoil Erupts After BJP's Victory in Falta By-Election
The recent by-election in Falta, West Bengal, saw BJP's Debanshu Panda winning by a significant margin, leading to a political uproar. TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee raised concerns over the counting process and alleged irregularities, demanding accountability from the Election Commission. With accusations of unfair practices and the removal of opposition agents, the integrity of the electoral process is under scrutiny. This situation highlights the ongoing tensions in West Bengal's political landscape, prompting calls for transparency and fairness in future elections.
May 25, 2026, 12:35 IST
BJP's Debanshu Panda Claims Victory
On May 21, a by-election in the Falta constituency of West Bengal resulted in a significant political controversy following the comfortable win of BJP's Debanshu Panda. Panda secured victory with over 100,000 votes, while CPI(M)'s Shambhu Nath Kurmi came in second with 40,645 votes, and Congress's Abdul Razzak Molla received only 10,084 votes. Notably, the TMC candidate had withdrawn from the race prior to the election.
TMC Questions Election Commission's Conduct
After the results were announced, TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee sought clarification from the Election Commission regarding the counting process in Falta. He alleged that on May 4, when the West Bengal Assembly election results were declared, only 2-4 rounds of counting had been completed by 3:30 PM. In contrast, all 21 rounds of counting in Falta were finished by the same time on Sunday.
Allegations of Irregularities
In a post on X, he highlighted discrepancies in the recounting process that took place in Falta. By 3:30 PM that day, all counting rounds were completed, while only a few had been done on May 4. He demanded accountability from the Election Commission, accusing it of ignoring the situation in West Bengal and claiming that over 1,000 TMC workers had been forced to leave their homes in the past ten days. He also alleged that despite the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct, party offices were vandalized in broad daylight.
Concerns Over Election Integrity
Banerjee expressed concern that while over 1,000 workers had to abandon their homes, the Election Commission remained unresponsive. He pointed out that the CEO, who was allegedly used by the Election Commission to manipulate the electoral process, was appointed as the Chief Secretary of the new West Bengal government while the Model Code of Conduct was still in effect and the voting process was incomplete.
Call for Accountability
He further claimed that agents from political parties other than TMC and BJP were reportedly removed from the counting site by officials and central forces on May 4. He described this as alarming and a direct attack on the principles of free and fair elections. He insisted that until corrupt officials are held accountable and an independent CCTV audit of the counting process is conducted, questions regarding the legitimacy of the mandate will continue to rise.
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