The Bharatiya Janata Party’s Surat unit partnered with the Surat Bengali Samaj to fund four free trains departing April 18 and 24, carrying verified voters from diamond and textile hubs back for polling phases on April 23 and 29. Organizers checked voter IDs and rejected 1,200 to 1,500 invalid applications to ensure legitimacy, covering costs for low-income artisans amid high election fares. Basudeb Adhikari called it a ‘wave of change’ that could influence 10-12 lakh votes through family networks, though Trinamool Congress leaders accused it of vote ferrying and urged Election Commission action.
BJP Arranges Free Trains for 5,000 Bengali Workers to Vote in Bengal Elections
