Mamata Banerjee Defiant Amid Alleged Mass Voter Deletion in Bhowanipore
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee declared on Monday that she would secure victory from her Bhowanipore assembly constituency "even if by only one vote", despite what she described as large-scale, deliberate deletion of names from the electoral roll. Addressing a gathering at Kolkata's Netaji Indoor Stadium during Dol and Holi celebrations, Banerjee launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Election Commission of India (ECI).
"60,000 Names Deleted": CM Alleges Systematic Disenfranchisement
"In my constituency, 60,000 names have been deleted. In the seats won by Trinamool, between 10,000 and 30,000 names have been removed. Despite that, I will win from Bhowanipore," asserted the Chief Minister, who has held three meetings with booth-level agents in her constituency over the past month. She claimed the deletions were carried out "deliberately by BJP and EC" during the Special Intensive Revision of the electoral roll to influence the upcoming assembly elections.
Banerjee provided detailed figures, stating Bhowanipore is a small constituency with approximately 2.6 lakh voters. "Previously, 44,000 names were excluded, and this time, citing logistical discrepancies, you have deleted 14,000 and then an additional 2,000. How many voters are left?" she questioned. Official data shows the draft electoral roll published on December 16 listed 1,61,525 voters for Bhowanipore, while the final roll published on February 28 contained 1,59,201 voters—a reduction of 2,324 names, with 18 names added and another 14,000 names under adjudication.
Historical Context and Political Battle
The Chief Minister has contested from the south Kolkata seat in all assembly elections since 2011, except for the 2021 polls when she shifted to Nandigram. She lost that contest to BJP's Suvendu Adhikari by 1,956 votes—a result currently under challenge at Calcutta High Court—and returned to Bhowanipore months later to successfully contest a bypoll. Banerjee framed the current controversy as part of a broader pattern, alleging that 1.2 crore people in Bengal were on the verge of losing their voting rights.
"I'm shocked. They are acting inhumanely and vindictively... They have deliberately tarnished my name. I have faith in God, faith in the Mother, and faith in Hindus, Muslims, and Buddhists," she stated, dismissing claims that Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and Booth Level Officers (BLOs) were responsible for the deletions. "Instructions came directly from Delhi," she claimed, referencing what she called "micro-observers brought from Delhi offices."
Personal Appeals and Community Announcements
Banerjee made emotional appeals to the public, noting specific cases of disenfranchisement. "A person died yesterday after finding his name in the 'under-adjudication' category. That person had submitted his passport and other certificates. His family has always voted," she revealed. She also highlighted gender disparities, observing that in some families, "the wife's name is deleted while the husband's name remains on the voters' list."
During the event, the Chief Minister handed over appointment letters to 61 people whose family members allegedly lost their lives due to pressure from the Special Intensive Revision process, recruiting them as civic volunteers. She also announced that the state has earmarked five acres in New Town, near Biswa Bangla Gate, for the construction of a Jain temple, urging the community to form a trust and assuring concessional land rates.
Planned Protest and Political Rhetoric
Banerjee announced she would hold a dharna at Esplanade on March 6 to protest what she termed the "forced deletion" of voters' names. "Give me your moral support. As long as I'm alive, I'll fight for the people... I trust my people. You don't trust people, you trust agencies. That's why you try to take away people's rights," she declared.
Taking aim at the BJP, she referenced their rath yatra in the state, saying, "They are holding a rath yatra here. This is going to be your last yatra—their ‘Vinash Yatra' (journey of destruction)." She specifically criticized Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, whom she referred to as "Vanish Kumar," alleging he "wants to vanish the votes."
"Those whose names are on the list will not realize it. But if your neighbor's name is missing, you should feel the pain too. Today it is your neighbor; tomorrow it could be your turn," Banerjee concluded, emphasizing unity and resistance. "We do not discriminate; we do not divide. We will not bow down to any negative energy."
