BJP building opposition-free Bengal, alleges Abhishek Banerjee after 11-hour ED grilling
Synopsis
Abhishek Banerjee walked out of an 11-hour ED grilling in Kolkata and immediately fired back, accusing the BJP of engineering an opposition-free West Bengal through agency pressure, voter-list manipulation, and legislator poaching. With a CID summons waiting for him the very next morning, the political temperature in Bengal is rising fast.
Key Takeaways
Abhishek Banerjee was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate at its Salt Lake, Kolkata office for over 11 hours on 15 June .
He alleged that the BJP is working to establish an ‘opposition-less political system’ in West Bengal through intimidation and defection of elected representatives.
He further alleged that the BJP manipulated the voters’ list via the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and rigged the election counting process.
On 16 June , he must appear before the CID at Bhabani Bhaban, South Kolkata over an FIR accusing him of inciting violence and threatening Home Minister Amit Shah .
The CID notice was served on 12 June ; the BJP has not formally responded to his allegations.
Trinamool Congress general secretary and Lok Sabha member Abhishek Banerjee on Monday night, 15 June, alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is systematically working to eliminate political opposition in West Bengal. His remarks came moments after he walked out of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office in Salt Lake, Kolkata, following more than 11 hours of questioning.
What Abhishek Banerjee Said
Speaking to reporters gathered outside the ED office shortly after 10 pm, Abhishek — nephew of All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief and former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee — stopped short of directly naming the agency but framed the interrogation as part of a larger political offensive. “The less said about the BJP, the better it is. On one hand, they are trying to poach within the opposition party. For the past month, efforts have been made to suppress, intimidate and destroy the opposition forces who are fighting without bowing their heads. This entire exercise is to establish an opposition-less political system in West Bengal,” he said.
He added defiantly: “They have cracked the elected MLAs and MPs of the party. However, all I want to say is that all these exercises will not ultimately yield results. Even if they slit our throats, we will not surrender.”
Allegations Against BJP and Poll Process
Abhishek further alleged that the BJP had manipulated the voters’ list in West Bengal through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process and secured electoral victory through counting irregularities. He claimed the party is now attempting to deny the opposition its legitimate democratic right to function, including by inducing defections among elected TMC legislators and parliamentarians.
These are serious allegations that the BJP has not yet formally responded to. Critics argue such charges are part of a pattern of mutual political hostility between the TMC and BJP that has intensified since the conclusion of the recent state Assembly elections.
What Awaits Him Next
The political pressure on Abhishek is set to continue. On Tuesday, 16 June, he is required to appear before the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at its headquarters in Bhabani Bhaban, South Kolkata. The summons, served on 12 June, relates to a First Information Report (FIR) in which he stands accused of inciting violence and issuing threats against Union Home Minister Amit Shah ahead of the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly elections.
Context and Background
This is not the first time Abhishek Banerjee has faced scrutiny from central investigative agencies. The ED has previously questioned him in connection with an alleged coal scam and cattle smuggling case, both of which he has consistently denied. The TMC has long maintained that central agencies are being weaponised against opposition leaders — a charge the BJP rejects as deflection from genuine corruption investigations.
The back-to-back summons from the ED and CID on consecutive days signals an escalation that is likely to further inflame tensions between the two parties in the state. All eyes will be on Abhishek’s appearance at Bhabani Bhaban on Tuesday and any subsequent political response from the TMC leadership.
Point of View
CID the next — are unusual in their timing and raise legitimate questions about coordination, regardless of the merits of the underlying cases. Abhishek Banerjee is a politically consequential figure, not a peripheral one, and the optics of sustained agency pressure on the TMC’s second-most powerful leader just after an Assembly election will inevitably be read through a political lens. That said, the TMC’s counter-narrative of victimhood has its own credibility problem: the party has faced credible corruption allegations for years, and dismissing every investigation as vendetta does not serve democratic accountability. The real test is whether these cases proceed to transparent, time-bound conclusions in court — or stall indefinitely as instruments of political leverage.
NationPress
31 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Abhishek Banerjee summoned by the ED?
Abhishek Banerjee was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate at its Salt Lake office in Kolkata on 15 June in connection with ongoing financial investigations. He was held for over 11 hours before being released late that night. The specific case details were not disclosed in the official communication.
What did Abhishek Banerjee allege against the BJP after the ED questioning?
He alleged that the BJP is attempting to build an opposition-free political system in West Bengal by suppressing, intimidating, and destroying opposition forces. He also accused the party of poaching elected TMC legislators and MPs, and of manipulating the voters’ list through the Special Intensive Revision process.
What is the CID case against Abhishek Banerjee?
The CID has registered an FIR against Abhishek Banerjee accusing him of inciting violence and threatening Union Home Minister Amit Shah ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections. He received a notice on 12 June and was required to appear at CID headquarters, Bhabani Bhaban in South Kolkata, on 16 June.
Who is Abhishek Banerjee?
Abhishek Banerjee is the general secretary of the All India Trinamool Congress and a sitting Lok Sabha member. He is also the nephew of former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and is widely regarded as the second most powerful figure in the TMC.
Has the BJP responded to Abhishek Banerjee’s allegations?
As of the time of reporting, the BJP had not issued a formal response to Abhishek Banerjee’s allegations of vendetta politics or his claims about voter-list manipulation and counting irregularities in West Bengal.
