Shah, Mamata trade barbs ahead of Bengal polls

The political pitch in West Bengal intensified on Tuesday as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Union Home Minister Amit Shah exchanged sharp attacks, setting the stage for a high-stakes contest ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.

Amit Shah, on a three-day visit to the state to kick off the Bharatiya Janata Party’s campaign, launched a scathing attack on the Trinamool Congress government, accusing it of fostering an environment marked by fear, corruption and misgovernance. He alleged that development in the state had come to a standstill and claimed that welfare schemes initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi were being derailed by what he described as a “toll syndicate” operating under the state government’s watch.

Shah further accused the Mamata Banerjee-led administration of facilitating illegal infiltration from Bangladesh, alleging that it had significantly altered West Bengal’s demography in recent years. He claimed the state government was obstructing border fencing along the India-Bangladesh frontier by refusing to provide land for the project.

“I have written seven letters to the chief minister on border fencing. Over the past six years, multiple meetings have been held with state officials. Why is the Trinamool Congress government hesitant to provide land? Does it want infiltration to continue?” Shah asked, alleging that official documents were being prepared for illegal infiltrators. He asserted that after April 15, 2026, a BJP government would work to revive Bengal’s heritage and culture.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee hit back strongly, dismissing Shah’s allegations and accusing the BJP of turning the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise into what she termed a massive scam. She alleged misuse of artificial intelligence during the exercise and claimed that harassment linked to the process had driven several people, including booth-level officers, to suicide.

Addressing a public gathering, Banerjee invoked characters from the Mahabharata to criticise the BJP leadership, likening them to Duryodhana and Dushasana. She rejected claims that her government had blocked border infrastructure projects, stating that land had been provided for fencing in areas such as Petrapol and Andal.

Recalling the situation 14 years ago, Banerjee said the state had witnessed significant development under her leadership, including efforts to address water scarcity and regional infrastructure gaps. She accused the BJP of using election season to harass citizens under the pretext of administrative exercises.

She also questioned the BJP’s narrative on infiltration, asking why responsibility was being pinned solely on West Bengal while ignoring security lapses elsewhere in the country.

Shah, however, escalated his criticism by alleging that political violence in the state had surpassed even the levels witnessed during the Left Front regime. He claimed that more than 300 BJP workers had been killed and thousands displaced, alleging they were being forced to align with the Trinamool Congress to return home.

Appealing directly to voters, Shah said the people of West Bengal had already given the Congress, the Left and the Trinamool Congress opportunities to govern and urged them to give the BJP a chance to establish what he called a governance model free of fear and corruption.

Senior Trinamool Congress leader and state education minister Bratya Basu dismissed Shah’s remarks, calling them baseless and asserting that the BJP’s campaign would have little impact. He claimed the party would fail to cross even 50 seats in the upcoming assembly elections and predicted a decisive victory for the Trinamool Congress.

As the 2026 polls draw closer, the exchange underscores an increasingly polarised political battle in West Bengal, with both sides sharpening their rhetoric and consolidating their bases.