Suvendu Adhikari accuses West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee of opposing SIR to protect illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators. The BJP leader links the voter roll revision controversy to the 2026 Bengal Assembly elections and predicts a change in governance.
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, on Saturday launched a sharp political attack on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of opposing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls to protect illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators for electoral advantage.
Speaking to media persons at Patna airport, Adhikari alleged that the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in West Bengal was deliberately resisting the revision of voter lists to safeguard illegal migrants, whom he claimed were being used as a vote bank. His remarks come amid heightened political tensions in the state as preparations gradually begin for the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections.
Adhikari claimed that the Chief Minister’s objection to the SIR exercise was not based on democratic or administrative concerns but was politically motivated. “She is objecting to the Special Intensive Revision only to protect Bangladeshi infiltrators. Illegal infiltrators, especially Muslims, are being protected by her government,” the BJP leader alleged, reiterating a long-standing accusation frequently raised by his party against the TMC.
The Leader of the Opposition further said that the issue of illegal infiltration had already been acknowledged at the national level. Referring to statements made by the Prime Minister in Parliament, Adhikari stated that concerns over illegal migrants and alleged attempts to shield them through legal and administrative mechanisms were no longer hidden matters.
“The Prime Minister has spoken in Parliament about how courts are being approached to protect infiltrators. The Special Intensive Revision is not a new concept in this country. It has been conducted eight times earlier, and this is the ninth time it is being carried out in West Bengal. It is a continuous and constitutional process, but Mamata Banerjee’s protest is aimed solely at protecting illegal infiltrators,” he said.
The Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls is undertaken periodically by the Election Commission to ensure accuracy, transparency, and the removal of duplicate or ineligible voters. The BJP has repeatedly alleged that unchecked illegal immigration from Bangladesh has distorted electoral demographics in several border districts of West Bengal, an allegation the TMC has consistently denied.
Looking ahead to the 2026 Assembly elections, Adhikari expressed strong confidence in the BJP’s electoral prospects in the state. Drawing on a historical and political narrative, he said the party was on a mission to complete what he described as a political “circle.”
“We have won Kalinga (Odisha) in 2024 and Ang Pradesh (Bihar) in 2025. Now we have to win Bang (West Bengal) in 2026 to complete the circle of Ang, Bang, and Kalinga. These regions were once part of a single state,” Adhikari remarked, invoking cultural and historical symbolism to energize party supporters.
He further asserted that a significant political change was inevitable in West Bengal. “In 2026, there will be a Sanatani and nationalist government in West Bengal,” he claimed, signaling the BJP’s intent to frame the upcoming election around ideological and national identity issues.
Explaining his surprise visit to Patna, Adhikari said that he would hold strategic discussions with senior BJP leaders regarding the West Bengal elections. He mentioned Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey, who is currently serving as a central observer and has previously overseen BJP organizational work in West Bengal.
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“Mangal Pandey has worked in West Bengal for four years and understands the political ground reality. I will meet him and other senior leaders to discuss election strategy,” Adhikari said.
As the West Bengal Assembly elections draw closer, political confrontations between the BJP and the ruling TMC are intensifying. The debate over electoral roll revisions, illegal infiltration, and governance is expected to dominate public discourse, setting the stage for a high-stakes and high-voltage political battle in the state.
