Abhishek Banerjee Says Voting Outside Trinamool Congress Directly Benefits Bharatiya Janata Party

Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday launched a sharp political attack during a roadshow in Farakka, asserting that a vote for any party other than the TMC would ultimately benefit the BJP. Addressing a public gathering, he urged voters across communities to consolidate support behind his party ahead of the upcoming electoral battle.

Banerjee alleged that the BJP was attempting to weaken the Congress while the TMC was actively resisting its influence on the ground. He also criticised the Congress for what he described as a lack of engagement with local issues, claiming that its representatives had not been present in the region to address public concerns over the past two years. He further named Aam Janata Unnayan Party founder Humayun Kabir and central agencies, describing them as part of what he called “three agencies of the BJP” operating in the area.

Raising concerns over electoral roll management, Banerjee accused opposition forces of attempting to remove names of poor and minority voters, while alleging that political opponents were exploiting community sentiments for electoral gain. He urged voters not to be influenced by what he described as divisive politics and appealed for unity across religious lines, stating that only the TMC could effectively counter the BJP.

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He also touched upon national issues, alleging that the Centre was attempting to introduce constitutional and delimitation-related changes with divisive intent. Referring to past concerns around citizenship verification exercises, he reiterated the TMC’s opposition to any renewed push for NRC in West Bengal, claiming that the state government would not allow residents to be subjected to documentation-based citizenship scrutiny.

Highlighting local issues, Banerjee raised the problem of riverine erosion in the region and said the state government had already written to the Centre seeking national disaster status for Ganga erosion. He claimed that limited progress had been made on rehabilitation efforts and announced that the TMC would push for the allocation of unused land under the Farakka Barrage authorities to resettle affected families.

At a later rally in Lalbagh, he also announced welfare commitments, including financial assistance for erosion-hit areas and broader development plans such as piped drinking water, doorstep healthcare services under “Duare Swasthya,” universal old-age pensions, and housing support for all eligible families.

Banerjee additionally challenged rival leaders, including Congress’ Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Humayun Kabir, and ISF’s Naushad Siddiqui, to give up central security cover if they were genuinely working for public welfare. He accused opposition figures of maintaining tacit understandings with the BJP, while warning that political instability could harm tourism and development in heritage regions such as Murshidabad and Berhampore. Polling in Murshidabad is scheduled for the first phase of the Assembly elections on April 23, setting the stage for an intense political contest in the region.

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