West Bengal

IIE DIGITAL DESK : East-West Bardhaman, BJP’s high-profile “Change Chariot” tour led by Sukanta Majumder met a lukewarm response on Sunday, raising eyebrows over the party’s outreach in the region. Traversing areas like Katwa, Panuhat, Ekaihat, and Daihat, Majumder’s procession drew noticeably smaller crowds, with locals citing exclusion from electoral rolls and pending voter lists as key reasons for their absence.

Trinamool Congress leaders slammed the event as a flop. Katwa MLA and East Bardhaman district TMC president Rabindranath Chattopadhyay accused the BJP of depriving people of their voting rights, saying the public has grown aware of their “false promises” and hence did not turn out. “Many names are still in the pending list, and people cannot participate. This has affected the turnout,” Chattopadhyay stated.

Addressing the crowd in Katwa, Sukanta Majumder emphasized the procedural necessity of submitting forms for those on pending voter lists, including Hindu refugees who need to apply under the CAA. Majumder highlighted the success of citizenship grants under CAA, noting that in one of his own Lok Sabha constituencies, 76 people have already received citizenship while 90,000 applications are under process, with an estimated 90 percent expected to be successful.

The “Change Chariot” proceeded to Kalna subdivision via Chhatni Mor in Purba Bardhaman North Assembly constituency, where Majumder once again emerged as the main speaker. He defended his record, asserting that despite serving as an MP for over six years and as a minister for more than a year, no allegations could be brought against him. During a felicitation event in Kalekhatal, Majumder took a jibe at the Trinamool Congress, claiming, “TMC has never been able to raise a single corruption charge against me because we follow the ‘Na-khayeinge, Na-khane Denge’ principle, inspired by Narendra Modi.” He also warned that local TMC goons attempting intimidation would face corrective action.

Stern message to party workers and supporters, Majumder asserted that if BJP comes to power in Bengal, the state would witness a “bulldozer-style” approach similar to Uttar Pradesh, signaling an assertive crackdown on what he termed as misrule by the ruling party. The remarks underscore the party’s aggressive campaign rhetoric as it seeks to expand its footprint in traditionally TMC-dominated areas.

This development sets the stage for a tense political contest in Bardhaman, where voter disenfranchisement, citizenship issues, and aggressive campaign strategies are expected to dominate discourse in the run-up to the next assembly elections.