Mamata alleges EVM manipulation, warns of ‘life and death’ fight, BJP calls it ‘dramatic’. india news

Last updated:May 01, 2026, 11:32 IST

Mamata Banerjee accused BJP and Election Commission of EVM tampering, vowed a life-and-death fight if Election Commission denied the allegations.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited the Bhabanipur strongroom on Thursday night and issued a stern warning that any kind of EVM irregularities, such as tampering with the voting machines or the counting process, would be met with a fight of “life and death”.

Banerjee was present at the strongroom of Sakhawat Memorial School in South Kolkata, which is currently the distribution and reception center of Bhabanipur assembly constituency where EVMs and ballot papers are stored.

BJP criticized Mamata Banerjee’s visit to Bhabanipur’s strong room and her “theatrics this evening are perhaps the most telling exit poll for West Bengal”.

The chief minister, who is contesting against BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari in Bhabanipur, visited the strongroom amid growing allegations from the Trinamool Congress following a viral video showing suspicious activity inside the Khudiram Anushilan Center in central Kolkata, where EVMs of all seven North Kolkata assembly seats are kept.

Also read: Mamata Banerjee reaches strongroom in Kolkata amid TMC’s protest over EVM tampering claims

Saying that her party had received reports of EVM tampering in various parts of the state, Banerjee said, “There is a strong room for EVMs here. We found that tampering was taking place at many places. When I saw the CCTV on TV, I thought I should also go and see. Initially, the central forces did not allow me to enter. But as per our election rules, candidates and election agents of any party are allowed access to the sealed room.”

‘We will fight life and death together’: CM

He further accused the Election Commission of India of bias and said, “Our agent has been arrested, a very one-sided work has been done. Even after that, if someone tries to steal the EVM machine, if someone tries to steal the counting, then we will fight together with life and death.”

The Chief Minister appealed to the citizens to maintain peace and harmony during this crucial time. “Victory is certain,” Banerjee said.

Addressing

TMC accuses BJP of EVM tampering

Political controversy began ahead of the voting results on May 4 when a video was circulated by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) alleging major lapses in the management of election material. The party accused BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) and Election Commission of working together.

In a sharply worded post, the party said the footage showed ballot boxes being opened by people without the presence of authorized representatives and said it was a serious violation. He alleged that both the BJP and the Election Commission were involved in electoral malpractices.

‘10,000 people a minute’: TMC boasts of its strength, says ‘we choose peace’

TMC stepped up its attack on the BJP and the Election Commission of India, alleging attempts to tamper with EVMs and claiming a larger “conspiracy” to influence the election result.

In a series of posts on Twitter, TMC accused the BJP of bringing “workers from other states” and gathering them outside the Netaji Indoor Stadium in what it called a “media farce”.

The party also underlined its organizational strength and said it exercised restraint despite having the ability to mobilize large numbers of people. “On an order from Mamata, 10,000 people will come to that area within a few minutes,” it said, adding that he was maintaining peace out of respect for the law, not out of fear.

“We choose peace because we respect the law. Try to touch even one EVM and you will have to face consequences,” the party warned, crediting Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for “showing the way” by personally visiting strongroom sites.

Mamata asks workers to ‘stand by for safety’

The remarks come in the backdrop of escalating political confrontation, with Banerjee earlier urging party workers to maintain round-the-clock vigil at the counting centers on May 4. Rejecting exit poll predictions, he asserted that TMC would win a clear majority.

In a video message, he called on candidates and senior leaders to personally monitor the counting centers in all 294 constituencies. “Be vigilant. If I can protect, you can too,” she said, urging 24-hour surveillance.

Banerjee also rejected speculations of BJP getting an advantage and called it an attempt to demoralize TMC workers. Referring to previous elections including 2021, he said such predictions had proved wrong earlier also.

He further alleged that a narrative was being created ahead of the counting day. “They launched this campaign because they know they can’t stop us,” he said.

The TMC chief also asked party workers to closely monitor the movement of EVMs from strongrooms to counting centres, and alleged a “conspiracy to alter the machines” during transit.

EC denies TMC’s allegations

The Election Commission of India has rejected the allegations and said that all procedures were followed and the strongroom remained secure.

It said that after the voting, all seven strongrooms of the Khudiram Anushilan Center were sealed in the presence of the candidates, their agents and the general observer, and the last room was secured at around 5:15 am.

The election body clarified that a separate strongroom has been designated for postal ballots, including those received through the Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS), and said political parties were informed in advance, including through email, about the separation process.

Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Aggarwal also rejected the claims, saying that the strongroom was properly sealed and there was no unauthorized entry.

BJP condemned Mamata’s visit, called it drama

Senior BJP leader Tapas Roy denied TMC’s allegations. He said, “These are all pure rumors that TMC is now spreading to create an atmosphere of fear because they themselves are scared. I have also come here to check the strongroom. TMC is spreading lies.”

Meanwhile, BJP’s IT cell chief Amit Malviya said Banerjee’s visit to Bhabanipur’s strongroom is the “clearest exit poll for West Bengal”.

He said on

BJP seems to be getting lead over TMC in exit polls

Most exit polls indicate a possible change of power in West Bengal, with the Bharatiya Janata Party projected to oust the All India Trinamool Congress, which has ruled the state for 15 years. According to Chanakya strategies, BJP may get 150-160 seats in the 294-member assembly, which will comfortably cross the majority mark, while Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s TMC may be limited to 30-40 seats, while other parties will have 6-10 seats.

Also read: Mamata alleges EVM manipulation, warns of ‘life and death’ fight before May 4 results

The elections have also witnessed unprecedented voter participation. The second phase recorded 91.66% voting, one of the highest since independence. However, the political tussle between TMC and BJP increased in the run-up to the polls, especially over the deployment of security forces.

Election Commission of India data shows 91.66% voting in the second phase till 7:45 pm. This followed the first phase of voting on 23 April, which saw an even higher turnout of 93.19%, taking the combined participation in both phases to an impressive 92.47%.

“The combined voting percentage in both the phases is 92.47%. Earlier, the highest voting-participation in WB was 84.72% (2011 GELA),” an ECI release said.

Across the board, turnout was high, with female voters leading at 92.28% and male voters not far behind at 91.07%.

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