BJP files complaint to CEO West Bengal on alleged intimidation by TMC Cooch Behar district chairman, here's what the letter says

BJP Leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, on Friday urged the West Bengal CEO to act after he posted on X claiming that Girindranath Barman, Trinamool Congress district chairman of Cooch Behar, publicly threatened Booth Level Officers (BLOs) during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Adhikari said the video he linked to shows an attempt to intimidate election officials doing door-to-door work.

“I am compelled to bring to your urgent attention, Mr. @CEOWestBengal, a brazen act of intimidation that reeks of the despotic playbook TMC has perfected over the years,” Adhikari wrote, accusing Barman of urging party workers to coerce BLOs into producing a “complete voter list of 2000.” Adhikari quoted Barman as saying: “We will tie him up,” words he described as “medieval” and a direct assault on democratic processes.

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A BJP letter to the West Bengal CEO, signed by Shishir Bajoria and cited by Adhikari, asked the poll body to register an FIR against Barman. The letter states that the threat was “a blatant act of intimidation” aimed at forcing BLOs either to abandon the SIR task or to comply with “unscrupulous TMC functionaries.” It warned that if action is not taken immediately, such incidents could multiply and potentially lead to physical attacks.

Alleged video linked by BJP and Adhikari

Both Suvendu Adhikari and the BJP say a video exists showing the remarks; that video is alleged and has been shared online by party accounts. The footage has been referenced in the BJP’s complaint, but independent verification of the clip and its context has yet to be confirmed in public records. The CEO’s office has not issued a response to the specific allegations at the time of filing.

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TMC leaders have, in past exchanges with the opposition, dismissed such charges as politically motivated. The development comes as the SIR exercise proceeds across West Bengal, with heightened tensions over claims of voter-list manipulation. The state’s electoral machinery now faces renewed pressure to investigate the complaint, ensure safety of BLOs and uphold the integrity of the revision process.