Mamata Banerjee 'panicked' before May 4 results, say BJP MPs after strong-room visit
Synopsis
Hours before West Bengal's Assembly results, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee made a dramatic late-night visit to the Bhabanipur EVM strong room alleging tampering — and the BJP has seized on it, calling it panic, not protest. With exit polls favouring the BJP and results due on 4 May, the political battle has moved from the ballot box to the strong-room gate.
Key Takeaways
BJP MPs on 1 May accused West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee of "panicking" ahead of Assembly results on 4 May .
Banerjee visited the Sakhawat Memorial Government Girls High School strong room in South Kolkata on Thursday night, alleging EVM tampering in the Bhabanipur seat.
BJP spokesperson Syed Shahnawaz Hussain said exit polls had given the BJP an edge and accused TMC of seeking to blame the Election Commission of India .
BJP leader Dilip Ghosh said a party that had ruled for 15 years resorting to such tactics had "accepted defeat." A viral video of TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee purportedly making remarks against Home Minister Amit Shah was cited by BJP as further evidence of TMC desperation.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has "panicked" ahead of the Assembly election results on 4 May, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs claimed on Friday, 1 May, alleging she is searching for an "excuse" to explain a potential defeat. The remarks came a day after Banerjee stormed the Sakhawat Memorial Government Girls High School in South Kolkata — the strong-room venue for Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) from the Bhabanipur Assembly constituency — and stayed past midnight, alleging EVM tampering.
BJP Calls It Panic, Not Protest
BJP national spokesperson Syed Shahnawaz Hussain was among the first to respond, describing the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) as gripped by fear of defeat. "In panic and confusion, they are going to the strong room. The public has already made its decision. The Bharatiya Janata Party is going to come with full strength," he told IANS. Hussain added that exit polls had already given the BJP an edge, and accused the TMC of trying to shift blame onto the Election Commission of India (ECI) ahead of the results.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla went further, accusing TMC of deploying what he called a "triple D approach — Denial, Diversion and Drama." He characterised TMC members as "people belonging to mafia culture" and alleged that party leaders were "threatening people" and "abusing Constitutional establishments like the Election Commission."
Viral Video Adds to BJP's Offensive
Poonawalla also referenced a viral video in which TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee is purportedly heard making objectionable remarks against Union Home Minister Amit Shah. "More than the exit polls, his statement is proof that Trinamool is going to exit," Poonawalla said, attributing the remark to the party's broader political desperation.
Regional BJP Leaders Pile On
Bihar BJP President Sanjay Saraogi termed Banerjee's late-night strong-room visit an expression of "frustration," suggesting she may even be trailing in her own Bhabanipur seat. "The kind of activity she is doing, even the law does not approve of that. Panic is clearly visible on her face," he said, adding that Bengal had witnessed "Maha Jungle Raj" for the past 15 years — a pointed inversion of the phrase historically used against Bihar.
BJP leader Dilip Ghosh echoed the sentiment, arguing that a party in power for 15 years resorting to allegations over strong rooms had effectively "accepted defeat" and was "searching for some excuse." BJP MP Sanjay Jaiswal was more direct: "She has lost the election, and the people have shown her the way out of Bengal, so she is blaming EVMs," he told reporters.
Background and What to Watch
The Bhabanipur constituency is politically significant — it is the seat from which Banerjee had previously contested and won. Her personal presence at the strong room, reportedly past midnight on Thursday, drew sharp reactions from both the BJP and election observers. The ECI has not publicly commented on the allegations of EVM tampering as of the time of this report. All claims of tampering and BJP's counter-claims remain unverified and are attributed to the respective parties. With results due on 4 May, the political temperature in West Bengal is set to rise sharply in the coming days.
Point of View
As the BJP frames it, a pre-emptive narrative to contest an unfavourable result. What's notable is that this is not the first time EVMs have become a post-poll flashpoint in Indian politics; every major losing side has at some point questioned the machines. The more consequential question is whether the Election Commission of India responds publicly to the tampering allegation before results day — silence will be read as validation by one side, and dismissal by the other. The BJP's aggressive counter-messaging, meanwhile, suggests it is confident in the numbers and wants to deny Banerjee any sympathy dividend.
NationPress
1 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Mamata Banerjee visit the strong room late at night?
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited the Sakhawat Memorial Government Girls High School in South Kolkata on Thursday night, where EVMs from the Bhabanipur Assembly constituency are stored, alleging EVM tampering ahead of the 4 May results. She reportedly stayed past midnight at the venue.
What did BJP leaders say about Mamata Banerjee's strong-room visit?
Multiple BJP leaders, including Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, Shehzad Poonawalla, Dilip Ghosh, and Sanjay Jaiswal, called the visit an act of panic and an attempt to find an excuse for defeat. They accused the TMC of trying to blame the Election Commission of India ahead of an unfavourable result.
When are the West Bengal Assembly election results due?
The West Bengal Assembly election results are scheduled to be declared on 4 May. Exit polls have reportedly given the BJP an edge, according to BJP leaders who cited them in their responses.
What is the significance of the Bhabanipur constituency?
Bhabanipur is a politically significant seat in South Kolkata from which Mamata Banerjee has previously contested and won. The strong room storing its EVMs was the site of her late-night visit that triggered the BJP's responses.
Has the Election Commission responded to the EVM tampering allegations?
As of the time of this report, the Election Commission of India had not publicly commented on Mamata Banerjee's allegations of EVM tampering. The claims remain unverified and are attributed solely to the TMC.
