The Trinamool Congress (TMC) is concerned about the presence of fake or duplicate voters in West Bengal’s electoral rolls. In response, party leader Abhishek Banerjee has called a virtual meeting on March 15 to discuss the issue.
The meeting will include core committee members, district presidents, MLAs, and other senior leaders. This comes after TMC chief Mamata Banerjee set up a 36-member committee, led by Subrata Bakshi, on February 27 to address the problem and ensure a clean voter list before the 2026 Assembly elections.
Abhishek’s decision to hold a separate meeting has raised speculation about the seriousness of the issue and its possible impact on TMC’s election chances. Party sources say he wants a quick resolution to prevent any advantage to the opposition.
His absence from the TMC Core Committee Meeting at Trinamool Bhavan on Thursday has also sparked curiosity. Rajya Sabha leader Derek O’Brien and other senior leaders were also missing from the meeting, but the reason for their absence is unclear.
On Thursday, a five-member TMC delegation visited the Chief Electoral Officer’s office to express their concerns about ghost voters. Some party members believe Abhishek’s independent meeting is a strategy to focus on the issue without distractions from other party matters.
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Others see it as a sign of tension between him and senior party leaders, despite his denial of any internal conflict at the February 27 meeting.
During that meeting at Netaji Indoor Stadium, Abhishek strongly dismissed rumors that he was planning to leave TMC or join the BJP. He stated, “It is being spread that Abhishek is joining the BJP or forming a new party. But know that I am not a traitor. Even if my throat is slit, I will not join the BJP.”
The issue of ghost voters has been a long-standing controversy, with opposition parties accusing TMC of voter list manipulation, a claim the party denies.
By forming a dedicated committee and calling a special meeting, Abhishek aims to address the issue, fix any discrepancies, and prevent further allegations of election fraud. The upcoming meeting on March 15 will focus on assessing the extent of the problem and ensuring a fair electoral process.
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