Suvendu Adhikari Alleges Voter List Irregularities, Tension Flares at Bhawanipur Polling Booth

Tensions surfaced during the West Bengal Assembly elections as BJP candidate Suvendu Adhikari alleged irregularities involving voter lists and claimed a shift in electoral support in his favour. Speaking to reporters, Adhikari stated that a group he described as “Bangladeshi-origin Muslims” raised slogans of “Joy Bangla” after finding their names missing from the voter list. He said he allowed them to continue for around 15 minutes and ensured the incident was recorded on camera. According to him, the episode could influence voter sentiment, claiming that nearly 10,000 votes may have shifted in his favour as a result. Earlier in the day, a separate flashpoint occurred at a polling booth in Bhawanipur. Tension escalated after Adhikari entered the premises, triggering slogan-shouting among people present, with chants of “Joy Bangla” echoing around the booth. The developments highlight the charged political atmosphere in the state, with sporadic incidents of confrontation being reported during the polling process. Election authorities have been maintaining a close watch to ensure that voting proceeds peacefully and in accordance with electoral norms.