Bengal: Report on Rajarhat counting revives ‘vote manipulation’ charge

A detailed investigation by Scroll into the counting process in West Bengal’s Rajarhat New Town Assembly constituency has reignited allegations by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) that several seats in the 23 and 29 April Assembly elections were “systematically manipulated” in favour of the BJP.

The report focused on the dramatic turnaround in Rajarhat New Town, where former Trinamool MLA Tapash Chatterjee had reportedly maintained a lead through most of the counting process before eventually losing to BJP candidate Piyush Kanodia by just 316 votes after an additional round of counting was introduced the following day.

According to the report, counting at Bidhannagar College — the designated counting centre for the constituency — progressed unusually slowly compared to other seats in West Bengal. While BJP victories in neighbouring constituencies were declared on the evening of 4 May, counting in Rajarhat New Town continued late into the night and spilled over into the next day.

The TMC alleged that the delay was deliberate. Party leaders claimed that counting was slowed in constituencies where the BJP was trailing, creating a wider perception across Bengal by afternoon that the BJP was headed for a sweeping victory. This, they alleged, demoralised TMC workers and counting agents.

As votes recorded in electronic voting machines were counted in Rajarhat New Town, Chatterjee reportedly built a lead of more than 11,000 votes after the first five rounds. Even after all 17 scheduled rounds of counting were completed late at night, he was still ahead by 316 votes, according to figures displayed at the counting centre and Election Commission data cited in the report.

However, TMC leaders alleged that the atmosphere at the counting centre changed sharply after news spread of BJP gains elsewhere in the state. Chatterjee claimed BJP workers entered the premises and intimidated Trinamool counting agents, many of whom were allegedly assaulted and forced to leave after their accreditation cards were torn up.

His daughter, municipal councillor Aratrika Bhattacharjee, told the publication that several agents emerged from the counting centre in tears and were unable to re-enter.

The report also quoted CPI(M) candidate Saptarshi Deb, who acknowledged that TMC agents appeared demoralised as BJP leads elsewhere increased. Deb further alleged that “some manipulation did take place” and claimed the BJP “was not in a position to win this seat”.

The BJP rejected all allegations. Kanodia denied any intimidation or manipulation and accused TMC of trying to avoid accepting defeat. BJP workers instead claimed that technical issues during counting required verification through paper slips generated by an electronic voting machine.

The controversy deepened the following day when Election Commission records reportedly showed an unexpected 18th round of counting. In that additional round, the BJP candidate received 637 votes while Chatterjee received only five votes — a dramatic shift compared to earlier rounds, where the TMC candidate had consistently polled far higher.

The additional votes ultimately reversed the result and handed the BJP a 316-vote victory — exactly matching Chatterjee’s earlier lead margin.

The report stated that election officials did not publicly clarify why an additional counting round had been added. Attempts by the publication to contact returning officer Mohammed Alimuddin and district election officials reportedly received no response.

Reacting to the investigation, Trinamool Congress MP Saayoni Ghosh told National Herald that the Rajarhat New Town case reflected what she described as a much broader pattern across West Bengal.

“This is just one case which is reported in depth about how BJP and its central poll machinery looted the TMC seats. If such investigations are conducted, one would find scores of seats where the same thing had happened,” Ghosh said.

She further alleged that similar intimidation had taken place at other counting centres across the state. “I myself was there in a counting centre where most TMC agents were drove out forcefully after destroying their cards,” she claimed.

Ghosh said TMC had already approached the courts regarding alleged irregularities in the election process and remained hopeful of judicial intervention. “We have already approached the court and we hope to get justice,” she said.

She also announced that the party, along with constituents of the INDIA bloc, was preparing for nationwide protests over what it described as post-poll violence against TMC workers and alleged electoral malpractice in Bengal. “We are going to start a nationwide protest with the INDIA alliance members against post-poll violence on our workers and vote loot in Bengal,” she said.

The allegations surrounding Rajarhat New Town remain politically sensitive, with the constituency emerging as one of the most frequently cited examples used by TMC to support its charge that Central agencies and election authorities acted in favour of the BJP during the fiercely contested Bengal election.