Opposition Demands Free and Fair Elections in West Bengal, BJP Welcomes Two-Phase Poll Schedule

West Bengal, March 2026 : Opposition parties on Sunday intensified their demand for a change of government in the state, asserting that the upcoming assembly elections must be conducted in a free, fair and peaceful manner. Political leaders from various parties expressed concerns over alleged violence and irregularities, while also urging voters to bring about political change through the democratic process.

State president of the Bharatiya Janata Party in West Bengal, Samik Bhattacharya, welcomed the decision of the Election Commission of India to conduct the West Bengal Assembly elections in two phases. Speaking to media persons, Bhattacharya said the party supported the decision as it could help ensure better security and monitoring during the polls.

“We welcome the decision to hold elections in two phases in West Bengal. Elections are conducted in several states across the country, but there are rarely reports of deaths or widespread violence there. Unfortunately, such incidents frequently occur in West Bengal,” he said.

Bhattacharya alleged that workers of the ruling All India Trinamool Congress were targeting voters who support opposition parties. According to him, the political atmosphere in the state has been marked by intimidation and violence, which he claimed threatens the spirit of democracy.

He further stated that people in the state are increasingly dissatisfied with the current situation and are seeking change. “Violence is escalating and democracy is being suppressed. The people of Bengal must change this situation. A change of government has become the need of the hour,” he said.

Expressing confidence in his party’s prospects, Bhattacharya said that the BJP is hopeful of forming the government once the votes are counted on May 4. He added that voters are frustrated with what he described as the ruling party’s divisive politics and alleged governance failures.

“There is no need to focus on what the ruling party says. People are tired of the divisive and hate-driven politics of the Trinamool Congress. This election will mark the end of that politics, and the party will have to face the consequences of its actions,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) also raised concerns regarding the electoral process. The party argued that the complete voter list should have been published before the official election notification was issued.

State secretary of the CPI(M), Mohammed Salim, questioned the legality of declaring a large number of people as “D-voters,” a term used for individuals whose citizenship status is considered doubtful. He said such a classification is not legally valid in many cases.

According to Salim, a person is either a voter or not, and large-scale ambiguity in the voter rolls can create confusion and undermine trust in the electoral process. He also referred to an earlier verification exercise conducted to identify eligible voters.

“During the mapping process, many individuals successfully established their identities. However, later their names were either removed from the voter list on various pretexts or kept in uncertainty,” he said.

Salim further alleged that both the central and state governments had failed to address these concerns effectively. He also criticized the functioning of certain administrative offices, claiming that bureaucratic institutions such as BDO, SDO and DM offices had become politicized.

He added that officials responsible for electoral verification, including booth-level officers and circle officers, were facing confusion and uncertainty regarding their responsibilities. According to opposition leaders, ensuring transparency and accuracy in the voter list is essential to maintaining public confidence in the electoral process.

As the elections approach, the political atmosphere in West Bengal is expected to remain intense, with parties focusing on issues of governance, democracy and electoral fairness while seeking to win the support of voters across the state.