Political Turmoil in West Bengal Over Voter List Review

Intensifying Political Conflict in West Bengal

The political landscape in West Bengal is becoming increasingly tumultuous due to the Special Intensive Review (SIR) of the voter list. Amidst this, Kalyan Banerjee, a Member of Parliament from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), has openly challenged leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Suvendu Adhikari and Sukanta Majumdar, during a public event.

Banerjee urged both leaders to muster the courage to visit Dankuni without Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) protection, asserting that he would be present there as well. He provocatively stated, "Come with your supporters; we will also be there without police, and then we will see if Amit Shah can ensure your safe return."

Following this challenge, the political atmosphere in Bengal has heated up further. Banerjee accused BJP leaders of claiming to connect with the public while relying more on their security than on public trust.

In response, BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari launched a sharp attack on the TMC, claiming that Kalyan Banerjee had openly threatened the lives of BJP leaders. He asserted that democracy is under severe threat in Mamata Banerjee's government.

This controversy arises at a time when the Election Commission is conducting a special intensive review campaign across 12 states, including West Bengal. According to available information, block-level officials are gathering data door-to-door to update and verify voter lists. This process will continue from November 4 to December 4, 2025, with the final voter list expected to be released in February 2026.

Notably, the TMC is opposing this campaign, alleging that the BJP is manipulating voter lists to influence the electoral environment. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is set to lead a protest march in Kolkata on November 4, which will also include party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. The TMC claims that this exercise is an attempt to undermine the democratic system, which should be addressed by confronting public concerns.

This entire situation has once again stirred the political pot in Bengal, with expectations of rising political tensions in the coming days.