KOLKATA: The decibel levels refused to dip and the political temperature showed no signs of cooling as West Bengal’s no-holds-barred campaign for the crucial first phase of elections thundered to a close at 6 pm on Tuesday.
What unfolded in the run-up to the April 23 polls was a high-voltage duel dominated by the towering clash between Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, each unleashing relentless verbal broadsides.
The first phase spans 152 assembly constituencies—54 in north Bengal and the rest scattered across politically sensitive districts, including Murshidabad, East and West Midnapore, Jhargram, Purulia, Bankura, West Bardhaman and Birbhum.
With 1,478 candidates battling it out across more than 45,000 polling booths —each under the watchful eye of dual cameras for webcasting —the stage is set for a fiercely contested showdown.
However, even this massive security apparatus has not muffled the sharp-edged campaign narrative—one that has spiralled around allegations of voter roll deletions, infiltration, tribal discontent, lawlessness, crimes against women, and a litany of corruption charges ranging from the Saradha chit fund scam to coal, cattle smuggling, and the explosive “cash-for-jobs” recruitment scandal. Religious polarisation has also been pushed aggressively to the surface.
In the dying hours of campaigning on Tuesday, Shah turned up the volume even further. Addressing a rally in East Midnapore, he launched a blistering personal attack on Abhishek Banerjee, the Trinamool national general secretary and Mamata’s nephew.
“Fearing defeat ‘bhaipo’ has already bought a ticket and is also ready to flee the country after May 4,” Shah declared. He doubled down moments later: “Mamata Banerjee will do nothing for employment generations and development of Bengal. She is in power only for one target and that is how to make her ‘bhaipo’ the next chief minister. But don’t worry. Bhaipo will flee after May 4.”
The aggression was not confined to the plains. In the hills of Darjeeling, Shah struck a different but equally forceful chord, promising a decisive breakthrough on the long-pending Gorkha issue. “I would come to Darjeeling again to meet you after the Gorkha issue is solved, after May 5.
False cases will be framed against the Gorkha brothers and all the cases will be withdrawn by July 31 after the BJP government is formed in Bengal on May 5,” he said, skirting the politically sensitive demand for Gorkhaland while signalling a “permanent political solution.”
If Shah’s campaign was marked by sharp, personal jabs and sweeping promises, Mamata responded with equal intensity, matching pitch for pitch. Addressing rallies in North 24-Parganas and East Midnapore, she turned the spotlight on the BJP and the deployment of central forces, alleging a sinister design behind the massive security presence.
“I have never seen an election for which so many central forces, observers and other officers have been deployed,” she said. She alleged that the BJP would attempt to misuse the Central Armed Paramilitary Forces for “rigging and booth capturing”.
Her political messaging was layered with both counter-accusation and challenge. Responding to BJP’s chargesheet against her government, she fired back: “You gave a chargesheet against TMC; I am issuing one against BJP.” Without naming individuals, she alleged corruption in the Haldia industrial belt:
“There is one traitor who takes cut money from truck drivers, workers and companies in Haldia port and industrial area. He takes 50% of the money and sends the rest to one of his leaders.”
Banerjee also took a direct swipe at PM Modi over his claim of being the BJP’s face across all seats. “You have to quit the post of the PM first for that to happen,” she said.