In West Bengal, both the TMC and BJP urged the Election Commission to address the issue of alleged “ghost voters.” Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP of adding outsiders to the voter rolls through online means ahead of the upcoming elections. Meanwhile, the BJP, which has long raised concerns about bogus voters linked to infiltration, is now highlighting the issue from a different angle. The demand for electoral transparency has intensified as both parties push for action.
Ghost voters have long been a contentious issue in West Bengal politics, and with the upcoming assembly elections next year, both the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are exploiting this topic to criticize one another.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP of adding outsiders to the electoral rolls using online means. She has also established a committee within her party, comprising senior leaders, to review the voters’ list.
On February 27, during a meeting, Banerjee stated,
“Bengal respects bohiragotos (outsiders) as guests but will not allow them to occupy Bengal. Their game is to capture Bengal and erase our culture. I have proof that they are adding outsiders’ names online through data operators. They attempted this in Maharashtra and Delhi, and while they succeeded there, Bengal will not allow it.”
Mamata presented evidence of fake voters allegedly being registered from states like Haryana and Gujarat, drawing comparisons to similar tactics reportedly used in Delhi and Maharashtra, where the BJP and its allies won recent elections.
She warned that if corrective actions are not taken, the TMC would initiate indefinite protests outside the Election Commission’s office. It is evident that the TMC intends to frame its election narrative around this issue.
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Conversely, the BJP has also highlighted the problem of bogus voters in Bengal, focusing on an infiltration angle. On Friday, Suvendu Adhikari, Agnimitra Paul, and several MLAs visited the Election Commission to raise concerns about Sad Radi, a terrorist linked to the Ansarullah Bangla Team, allegedly voting twice in West Bengal.
They questioned how names of Rohingyas and Muslims from outside appeared on the voter rolls. Adhikari has written a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner regarding Mamata’s allegations against the EC.
He remarked,
“Sixteen lakh duplicate voters were identified. We have provided their list to the EC ahead of 2024. Some names have been removed, but we want to know how terrorists are getting their names on the voters’ list. They have altered the demographics of the bordering state. What about that?”
Adhikari also mentioned that the EC dismissed the claims regarding voters from Haryana and Maharashtra being registered in Bengal as baseless.
Although the election is still a year away, both parties are preparing to use the “ghost voters” issue to blame each other and exert pressure on the Election Commission. They are also planning door-to-door visits to assess the situation.
The 2021 elections in Bengal featured a fierce rivalry between the TMC and BJP, and observers anticipate a similar contest this time around.
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