Mamata Banerjee: the chief minister of West Bengal, launched a scathing assault on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday, accusing them of trying to rig electoral lists in advance of the 2026 Assembly elections under the pretense of a Special Intensive Revision (SIR). Speaking at a sizable public gathering in Bankura, Banerjee said that the exercise was being conducted hastily and with political intent to deny Bengali citizens their right to vote. The TMC chief said, “This time the game will be called fatafati.”

The Chief Minister referred to the SIR process as “meaningless and dangerous,” asserting that names removed from the draft electoral lists will eventually stay on the final list.

She said that the present procedure is being hurried in two months, although a full SIR exercise often takes up to two years.

Banerjee said that “poor people are being harassed in the name of SIR before elections” and that Booth Level Officers (BLOs) were being threatened with prison time if they refused to remove names. She also said that a number of BLOs had perished in the process, emphasizing what she called undue pressure on election authorities.

Banerjee issued a warning that marginalized groups including Rajbanshis, Matuas, and Adivasis would be disproportionately affected if over 1.5 crore names were removed from the voting lists. She said that names were being randomly removed using artificial intelligence, calling the exercise a “deliberate attempt to disenfranchise Bengalis.”

She said, “SIR conducted using AI is a huge scam,” and added that if even one valid voter was eliminated, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) will gherao the Election Commission’s headquarters in Delhi.

Mamata’s response to Amit Shah’s trip to Bengal
Banerjee strongly disagreed with the assertions that the state has turned into a center for extremist activity in response to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to Bengal and his comments on terrorism and infiltration.

“You wouldn’t have been permitted to leave your hotel if Bengal didn’t respect you,” she continued. In response to Shah’s claim that infiltration was changing Bengal’s demographics, Banerjee said that in places like Changrabandha and Petrapole, land had already been set aside for border barrier.

Regarding assaults in Pahalgam and Delhi, she also questioned how the Center handles security situations outside of Bengal.

The Chief Minister said that the BJP was using religion for its own political ends. “Peace is what religion means.” “You spread fire,” she asked. Banerjee questioned how the BJP could guarantee prosperity in Bengal when, she said, atrocities were being perpetrated against Bengali-speaking people in BJP-ruled states. She also rejected the party’s recurring slogan, “Shonar Bangla.”

“A two-thirds majority in 2026”
Amit Shah had earlier told a news conference that he was certain the BJP will get a two-thirds majority in Bengal and establish the government in 2026.

Citing the party’s consistent election gains in the state since 2014, he said that the Mamata Banerjee administration was corrupt and obstructing central social programs. Additionally, Shah claimed that unlawful infiltration was taking place with the implicit approval of the state administration, a claim Banerjee vehemently refuted.