“A cat doesn’t climb a tree unless it is truly desperate,” remarked Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, taking a sharp dig at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over her unusually early and active presence on polling day in Bhawanipur.

The comment came amid an extraordinary start to Phase 2 of the West Bengal Assembly Election 2026, where Banerjee was seen on the streets within an hour of voting commencing at 7:00 am—marking a clear departure from her past election routines.

In both the 2016 Assembly polls and the West Bengal Assembly Election 2021, Banerjee had typically cast her vote at Mitra Institution later in the afternoon. This time, however, she adopted a far more hands-on and visible approach, signaling the high stakes involved in the Bhawanipur contest.

Crisscrossing Bhawanipur booths

From early morning, the Trinamool Congress supremo has been actively touring the constituency—moving through Chetla, Chakraberia, and multiple polling booths across Ward No. 70. In Chetla, she held a prolonged discussion with Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim before continuing her rounds.

At one point, Banerjee was seen seated outside a polling booth in Ward No. 70—an area with a significant non-Bengali voter base—for nearly 45 minutes, closely monitoring the situation on the ground.

Adhikari’s sharp attack

Adhikari, who is contesting directly against Banerjee in Bhawanipur, had begun his own booth visits earlier in the day. Reacting to Banerjee’s movements, he alleged that her actions reflected political nervousness.

“It is abundantly clear from Mamata Banerjee’s frantic movements that the Trinamool Congress is heading towards defeat,” he said. “There is no unrest; polling is taking place in a festive atmosphere. Voters are exercising their franchise freely—that is exactly what we wanted.”

The shadow of the 2021 Nandigram contest looms large over the current battle. In that election, Adhikari had narrowly defeated Banerjee, intensifying their political rivalry. His decision to challenge her again—this time in Bhawanipur—has revived that high-voltage face-off.

Tension and tight security

Meanwhile, reports of mild tension have surfaced from several polling booths across the constituency. A brief heated exchange involving the Chief Minister’s brother and police personnel also drew media attention.

With central forces deployed and both camps maintaining a combative posture, Bhawanipur has emerged as the focal point of the ongoing election phase.

As polling continues, the outcome in this high-profile constituency is expected to play a crucial role in shaping the broader trajectory of the elections in West Bengal.

Long or Short, get news the way you like. No ads. No redirections. Download Newspin and Stay Alert, The CSR Journal Mobile app, for fast, crisp, clean updates!

App Store –  https://apps.apple.com/in/app/newspin/id6746449540 

Google Play Store – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.inventifweb.newspin&pcampaignid=web_share