Bengal BJP chief Bhattacharya attacks Mamata over strongroom 'drama', predicts TMC defeat
Synopsis
Bengal BJP President Samik Bhattacharya says Mamata Banerjee's strongroom visit over EVM fears is pure drama — and that Banerjee herself knows her government is on the way out. His remarks, laced with corruption allegations against 15 years of TMC rule, signal an escalating BJP offensive ahead of the Bengal assembly contest.
Key Takeaways
West Bengal BJP President Samik Bhattacharya attacked CM Mamata Banerjee on 1 May over her visit to an EVM strongroom.
Bhattacharya called the visit a 'drama' and said Banerjee senses both her government and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) are losing prominence.
He cited Banerjee's own rally statement — 'if Trinamool survives then we will meet again' — as evidence of internal TMC anxiety.
Bhattacharya alleged that 15 years of TMC rule had turned Bengal into an 'open market' riddled with corruption across education, contracting, and public life.
He expressed confidence that a BJP government would be formed in West Bengal under PM Narendra Modi's leadership, invoking the legacy of Syama Prasad Mookerjee .
He claimed voters with Bengali roots travelled from countries including Finland and Portugal to cast votes against the TMC.
West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Samik Bhattacharya on Friday, 1 May launched a sharp attack on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after she visited a strongroom housing Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), citing fears of tampering. Bhattacharya alleged that Banerjee's move was political theatre, and that she herself senses her government and party are losing grip on West Bengal.
Bhattacharya on the Strongroom Visit
Speaking to news agency IANS, the Bengal BJP chief dismissed Banerjee's strongroom visit as a staged performance.
Point of View
Deployed every election cycle. What is new is the explicit reading of Banerjee's own rally language — 'if Trinamool survives' — as a sign of internal TMC doubt. Whether that reading is accurate or wishful projection will be tested at the ballot box.
NationPress
1 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Samik Bhattacharya attack Mamata Banerjee on 1 May?
Bengal BJP President Samik Bhattacharya attacked Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after she visited an EVM strongroom citing fears of tampering. He called the visit political drama and alleged it reflected TMC's anxiety about an impending electoral defeat.
What did Bhattacharya say about Mamata Banerjee's strongroom visit?
Bhattacharya said the people of West Bengal are 'tired of such drama' and urged Banerjee to 'try something new.' He alleged that by staging such visits, the TMC was merely performing for optics rather than addressing genuine governance concerns.
What corruption allegations did Bhattacharya make against the TMC?
Bhattacharya alleged that in 15 years of TMC rule, the party had turned Bengal into an 'open market' where everything is for sale — from students and teachers to contractors — with corruption infusing every aspect of public life.
What did Bhattacharya say about Mamata Banerjee's political future?
Bhattacharya said Banerjee's own rally statement — 'if Trinamool survives then we will meet again' — signals that she herself senses not just her government but the TMC as a party is losing prominence in West Bengal.
What is the BJP's Bengal government claim based on?
Bhattacharya expressed confidence that a BJP government would be formed in West Bengal for the first time, under PM Narendra Modi's leadership, invoking the legacy of Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee, who was from Bengal. He described it as 'just a matter of time.'
