The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) is facing mounting pressure following a series of arrests linked to alleged attempts to intimidate voters ahead of the West Bengal Assembly Election 2026.
After a recent arrest in Murshidabad, another TMC leader has now been apprehended in Canning, located in South 24 Parganas, on Saturday. Sources in the state police said that both actions were taken in direct compliance with directives issued by the Election Commission of India.
At the centre of the latest incident is Hafizul Molla, chief of the Deuli-1 Gram Panchayat. He has been accused of making controversial and intimidating remarks during a public rally.
According to reports, Molla allegedly warned that a “steamroller” would be unleashed in the area after vote counting. The statement triggered tension across the locality. Taking cognisance of the matter, the Election Commission ordered immediate action, following which police arrested him.
The development comes close on the heels of the arrest of Raju Mandal, a local TMC leader in Murshidabad and President of a Ward Committee under the Berhampore Municipality.
Mandal is accused of directly intimidating voters while campaigning for the party’s candidate. As per complaints received by the Commission, he allegedly went door-to-door instructing voters not to cast their ballots for a particular symbol.
He reportedly warned residents that their voting patterns would be monitored and recorded. In a controversial remark, he also allegedly suggested that those who did not turn up to vote would receive sweets at their homes instead.
The Election Commission of India acted swiftly after a video of his statements surfaced, leading to his arrest.
These incidents come amid heightened political sensitivity in the state, particularly following recent controversies in Malda and administrative reshuffles after the announcement of the election schedule.
In response, the Commission convened a high-level meeting with senior administrative and police officials, making it clear that any attempt to intimidate or influence voters would not be tolerated.
Strict directives have been issued to ensure free and fair elections across all districts.
With back-to-back arrests in Murshidabad and Canning, authorities appear to be adopting a zero-tolerance approach to electoral violations. The developments signal that the Election Commission of India is closely monitoring the situation and acting promptly on complaints.
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