Oppn in panic, Bengal ready for BJP govt: Praveen Khandelwal

New Delhi, April 10 BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal on Friday claimed that opposition parties in West Bengal are “in a state of panic” as the state heads for crucial Assembly elections, asserting that voters are prepared to bring the BJP to power.

Speaking to IANS, Khandelwal said, “The real issue is that opposition parties, whoever they may be, are in a state of panic. This panic exists because the people of West Bengal have made up their minds to form a government with a large majority under the leadership and guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the Bharatiya Janata Party is going to form the government in West Bengal. The direction and situation of opposition parties is bad...”

His statement comes amid intensifying political campaigning in the state, where the ruling Trinamool Congress and the BJP are engaged in a high-stakes electoral battle.

The Trinamool Congress, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has mounted a strong counter-offensive against the BJP, which has been expanding its political outreach in Bengal following its recent electoral gains in neighbouring Bihar. The BJP is aiming to replicate that success in West Bengal and challenge the ruling party’s long-standing dominance.

Voting for the West Bengal Assembly elections is scheduled in two phases on April 23 and April 29. The first phase will cover 152 constituencies, while the remaining 142 seats will go to the polls in the second phase. Counting of votes is slated for May 4.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has stepped up her criticism of the election process, alleging large-scale voter manipulation. She accused what she called a “compromised” Election Commission and the BJP of attempting to influence the mandate by excluding nearly 91 lakh voters from the electoral rolls.

“These were not (logical) discrepancies but conspiracies to delete voters, especially in seats where TMC won.... The people will answer them for being against women, farmers, labourers, youth, minorities, SCs, STs,” Banerjee said.

She further urged voters to turn out in large numbers, stating, “Cast your vote in a way so that nobody dares to call any of us infiltrators, ever again,” adding that she would ensure no legitimate voter is left out of the electoral roll.

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