The Trinamul Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday described the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections as a “vote of protest”, urging voters to use the ballot to decisively uproot the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from the state.
Addressing a political rally at Majher Dabri Tea Plantation in Alipurduar district, Banerjee launched a sharp attack on the BJP, the Election Commission of India and central agencies, alleging systematic attempts to undermine democratic rights in Bengal. Drawing a comparison with legendary magician PC Sircar, he remarked that the Chief Election Commissioner had “outdone magicians”, adding that the time had now come for voters to become “magicians themselves” on polling day in 2026.
“This election is not just about choosing a government. This is a vote to protest. When BJP leaders come begging for votes, tell them you will vote for them ~ but on polling day, press the button for the twin flowers of Trinamul,” Banerjee said, triggering loud applause.
Addressing tea workers, he said the party was expecting a 100 per cent lead from all 450 booths in Alipurduar district. Recalling past electoral outcomes, Banerjee noted that voters had elected BJP MPs in 2019 and 2024 and handed over all five Assembly seats to the BJP. However, he pointed out that political equations have since shifted, citing the defection of a BJP MLA to the TMC and the party’s victory in the Madarihat Assembly bypoll last year.
Raising concerns over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Banerjee alleged harassment of voters and instances of living voters being declared dead. “Will you vote for a party that is trying to snatch your voting rights?” he asked, warning that democracy itself was under threat.
He further claimed that had the BJP secured over 400 seats in the last Lok Sabha elections, it would have altered the Indian Constitution. Accusing the BJP of attempting to bypass electoral processes, Banerjee criticised the proposed ‘one nation, one election’ move, alleging that the ruling party “does not want elections at all”. “We must protest and stop this Bill from being passed in Parliament,” he said.
Banerjee also alleged that instead of allowing people to choose their representatives, the BJP-led government was “selecting voters who will vote for them”. He asserted that Bengal would not bow down to pressure from the Centre, even if agencies like the ED, CBI and Income Tax were used against the state.
Mocking the BJP’s ‘double-engine government’ narrative, Banerjee cited alleged deaths linked to contaminated water in Madhya Pradesh to question governance claims. Raising the slogans “Abar Jitbe Bangla” and “Jotoi Karo Hamla, Ebar Jitbe Bangla,” he said this was his second meeting under the campaign banner.
Highlighting the Mamata Banerjee-led state government’s welfare initiatives, he underscored schemes such as Lakshmir Bhandar, claiming that Rs 1,500 crore had been disbursed in Alipurduar district alone. He alleged that while the Centre had collected Rs 6.5 lakh crore in revenue from Bengal, it had failed to return adequate funds and had stalled schemes like the 100-day job programme after the BJP’s defeat in the 2021 Assembly polls and losses in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Recalling Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s decision to carve out Alipurduar as a separate district, he said the time had come to repay that trust with a “return gift” by ensuring Trinamul’s victory in all five Assembly seats from the district.
In a controversial remark, Banerjee compared BJP MPs to snakes, alleging they “bite the very people who vote for them”. He later participated in an interactive question-and-answer session with the audience.