Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at Nabanna, the state secretariat, on Tuesday, a meeting that has sparked political interest amid ongoing opposition criticism of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Centre.
Following the meeting, Mamata praised the Samajwadi Party leader’s work, saying, “Akhilesh is doing a great job. I wish him all the best for the future.”
After the interaction, Akhilesh launched a sharp attack on the BJP, alleging that Mamata is “practically fighting the BJP alone.” Referring to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal, he claimed that instead of enabling more people to vote, ordinary citizens were being harassed. “The BJP is creating problems in various ways. SIR has been introduced in Bengal. Instead of facilitating voting, people are being troubled,” he said.
Akhilesh further alleged that the SIR exercise in West Bengal was “another form of the NRC.” Referring to past allegations of electoral manipulation, he said, “For a long time, there were allegations of vote rigging. But Didi (Mamata) has stopped digital vote theft.” Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra, he alleged that the BJP had won elections there by misusing central agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Income Tax Department.
Political observers believe the meeting sent out a broader message of opposition unity against the BJP.
Akhilesh had arrived in Kolkata on Monday along with his wife to attend a family function. His visit had triggered speculation in political circles about a possible meeting with Mamata, which was confirmed when the two leaders met at the state secretariat on Tuesday.
Soon after landing at Kolkata airport on Monday, the Samajwadi Party chief had already set the tone by launching a strong critique of the BJP and the central government. Referring to recent political controversies, he spoke about the Chief Minister’s intervention during I-PAC-related ED raid, the pendrive controversy and the role of central investigative agencies. He remarked that the BJP had not yet forgotten the “pain” of the pendrive episode and was unable to accept what he described as Mamata’s political victory over the ED in West Bengal.
Commenting on the political future of the state, Akhilesh claimed that the BJP’s defeat in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections was inevitable. “The BJP itself knows it cannot win in Bengal. Now their only aim is to accept defeat with dignity,” he said, expressing confidence that the party has little chance of electoral success in the state.
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