Baruipur, West Bengal: In a dramatic political display during the ‘Ransankalpa Sabha’ (Pledge Meeting) today, Trinamool Congress (TMC) National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee turned a public rally into a high-stakes critique of the Election Commission (ECI). In a move reminiscent of his Brigade Parade Ground rallies, Banerjee walked a custom-built ramp, but this time he was accompanied by three individuals whom the ECI had officially listed as deceased.
The “Ghost” Parade
The highlight of the event occurred when Banerjee introduced Monirul Islam Molla, Harekrishna Giri, and Maya Das to the massive crowd. According to official records cited by the TMC leader, these individuals, hailing from Metiabruz and Kakdwip had been marked as “dead” in the electoral rolls.
“You see four people on this ramp, but the Election Commission cannot see them,” Banerjee declared while walking alongside the three. “They have been declared dead. In South 24 Parganas alone, there are 24 such ‘living’ people who have been categorized as deceased. Have you ever seen dead people walk a ramp? This is why I built this stage today—to expose the truth.”
Attack on the ECI and Home Ministry
Banerjee utilized the platform to launch a scathing verbal offensive against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Referring to the CEC with the mocking moniker “Vanish Kumar,” Banerjee accused the poll body of acting as an “agent” of the BJP to disenfranchise voters.
“As long as we are here, we will not allow a single person’s fundamental rights to be snatched away,” he shouted to a roaring crowd. He further challenged the central leadership, stating that if even a fraction of the crowd present in Baruipur marched to Delhi, the current administration and the ECI leadership would be “swept away like floodwaters.”
Electoral Strategy for 2026
Shifting focus to the upcoming political battles, Banerjee reminded the audience that South 24 Parganas was the cradle of the 2008 political shift in Bengal. He set an ambitious target for the party: winning all 31 seats in the district, including the contentious Bhangar constituency. Despite the ongoing controversy surrounding the Strategic Information Report (SIR), which has reportedly caused panic in several districts, Banerjee remained defiant, asserting that the TMC’s seat count would only increase regardless of the “central forces and agencies” deployed by the BJP.