New Delhi, Nov 20 (NationPress) The political landscape in West Bengal is currently focused less on the integrity of electoral rolls and more on a high-stakes competition in anticipation of the 2026 Assembly elections.

The ruling Trinamool Congress is strategically exploiting public distress, turning authentic sorrow and bureaucratic unease into a means of political advantage, while the intricate issue of cross-border demographics is left unresolved.

Despite extensive media coverage highlighting the significant numbers of unaccounted Bangladeshi migrants attempting to return home, the state's ruling party is stoking fears regarding the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list.

On November 20, they emphasized “31 deaths in 24 days attributed to Silent Invisible Rigging (SIR) in Bengal,” stating, “These are the kinds of stories that mainstream media shy away from.”

Critics contend that the Trinamool's approach is a calculated move to instill fear among marginalized and minority voters, framing the electoral revision as a tool of the opposition aimed at disenfranchising them. They are also attempting to limit scrutiny at the Bangladesh border.

Rather than alleviating concerns about a standard, official procedure, the party is exacerbating anxiety, according to the principal opposition party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Party leaders assert that the Trinamool has ignored the presence of migrants, some of whom possess identification documents like Aadhaar and ration cards.

Regarding the large gatherings at the Bangladesh border, Trinamool spokesperson Kunal Ghosh dismissed the situation as orchestrated. “The BSF is at the border, along with central intelligence agencies. What actions are being taken?” he remarked during a media briefing on November 20, further suggesting, “The counterfeit voter cards may have been produced by the previous Left government,” thereby distancing his administration from any accountability.

This trend became evident in July, shortly after the SIR process began in neighboring Bihar. Some residents in Kolkata reported that their household help had vanished without notice.

Visits to these residences revealed either locked or empty homes. Subsequently, reports emerged from districts near the eastern border indicating that numerous shanties were becoming vacant. Following this, groups began to gather at the borders.

Now, there is escalating concern at the borders, where crowds are forming faster than they can be dispersed.

The BSF must coordinate with their counterparts, the Bangladesh Border Guards, to manage large-scale migration.

Consequently, the SIR initiative, aimed at purging electoral rolls of duplicates, deceased, or relocated voters, has escalated into a significant political crisis in West Bengal.

This process involves meticulous, door-to-door verification, often depending on documents dating back to the 2002 electoral roll, a requirement that has sparked widespread confusion and panic among a populace with frequently incomplete or misplaced documentation.

The Trinamool Congress has capitalized on this public trepidation, attributing several deaths—including alleged suicides and fatal cardiac events—to the SIR, with some involving stressed Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and others reportedly overwhelmed by the verification process.

The Election Commission has emphasized that the SIR is a routine constitutional procedure and is not authorized to adjudicate citizenship matters.

The BJP has accused the Trinamool of “vulture politics” and “exploiting tragedies” for electoral gain, claiming that the ruling party is perpetuating a false narrative, frequently utilizing local leaders to instigate rumors of impending deportation to pressure citizens into backing them.