KOLKATA: In a sharp rebuttal to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s planned sit-in protest on March 6, Union Minister of State Sukanta Majumdar fired back with a taunt that has caught attention across political circles. Speaking to reporters here, Majumdar declared that the BJP would form the next government in Bengal, forcing Mamata to sit on endless protests—earning her the moniker ‘Dharna Didi’.
Majumdar didn’t hold back, quipping that it’s good she’s practicing now because she’ll soon be leading the opposition after BJP sweeps to power with its own chief minister. The exchange underscores the escalating tensions ahead of the assembly elections, where voter list revisions have become a flashpoint.
On opposition claims of deaths during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Majumdar dismissed them outright. ‘I don’t understand whose death they’re talking about in SIR. Where’s the death certificate? District Magistrates say no deaths occurred, and no reports have been sent to the Election Commission,’ he asserted.
He advised Congress leaders demanding a halt to elections to approach the courts if they have grievances. BJP leader Samik Bhattacharya chimed in, noting public awareness of Mamata’s motives—allegedly defending Bangladeshi Rohingyas, infiltrators, and even deceased voters.
The controversy stems from TMC’s accusations that BJP is manipulating voter lists through the Election Commission to delete over a crore names before SIR even began. Mamata’s Dharna at Kolkata’s Brigade Parade Ground is billed as a stand against these alleged arbitrary deletions, but BJP leaders see it as a desperate ploy by a faltering regime.