As the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections approach, there have been increasing levels of political rhetoric with leaders of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) taking opposing stands on matters regarding voter lists.
Addressing a gathering in Kolkata, Abhishek Banerjee alleged that lakhs of names had been removed from the electoral roll and stated that the reasons behind such action needed to be looked into. He said the move raised serious concerns, particularly amid claims that those removed were illegal immigrants.
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âI reassure that when TMC wins, the names of everyone cut from the voter list will be added back,â Banerjee said, adding that authorities should clarify whether those deleted were being labelled as âBangladeshis or Rohingyaâ.
BJP outlines UCC push
Meanwhile, Union Home minister Amit Shah unveiled the BJPâs election manifesto, titled 'Sankalp Patra', promising to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in West Bengal within six months if the party comes to power.
âSeveral BJP-ruled states have implemented the Uniform Civil Code⊠we will ensure a single, uniform set of laws applies to all citizens,â Shah said, according to the The Times of India.
He also emphasised stricter action on border security, including measures to curb infiltration and cattle smuggling. Shah further announced that a commission led by a retired Supreme Court judge would be set up to investigate political violence in the state.
The BJP leader added that the party would release three white papers focusing on corruption, law and order, and political violence.
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Election schedule and political stakes
There are going to be two rounds of voting for the 294 seats in the West Bengal Assembly election on April 23 and April 29, and the results will be announced on May 4.
The elections are going to be contested keenly by the ruling party and the BJP with the former defending their base while the latter seeks to increase its foothold in the state. The issue of voter list revisions, along with promises on governance reforms, is likely to remain central to the campaign narrative in the coming weeks.
