Mamata warns against complacency; Abhishek aims for 60K-vote lead in Bhabanipur

With the 2026 West Bengal assembly elections approaching, Mamata Banerjee has called on Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers to remain vigilant in Bhabanipur, her long-standing political stronghold, amid concerns over the electoral process.

Addressing party leaders and grassroots workers at a closed-door organisational meeting in south Kolkata, the chief minister warned against complacency and urged cadres to closely monitor polling and post-poll procedures, including the security of strong rooms where electronic voting machines are stored.

Banerjee referred to past experiences, including the closely contested 2021 election in Nandigram, where she lost to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari after a dramatic counting process. She cautioned that disruptions, such as power outages, could affect results and stressed the need for constant vigilance.

The meeting, held in Bhabanipur, assumes significance as the constituency is expected to witness a high-profile contest, with Adhikari likely to challenge Banerjee once again. While the seat has traditionally been considered a TMC bastion, recent electoral trends suggest a more competitive race.

TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee set an ambitious target for the constituency, urging party workers to secure a victory margin exceeding 60,000 votes. He also called for improved booth-level performance, asking cadres to surpass previous benchmarks in terms of polling station wins.

“Bhabanipur must emerge as the top-performing constituency in Kolkata,” he told party workers, emphasising the importance of unity and discipline within local organisational units.

Senior leaders, including Subrata Bakshi and Firhad Hakim, were present at the meeting, which marked a key review of the party’s preparedness ahead of the polls.

Banerjee also raised concerns over recent administrative changes following the announcement of the election schedule, noting that several officials had been removed. She suggested that any irregularities during the election process would be the responsibility of the central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Election Commission.

The chief minister further addressed issues surrounding the revision of electoral rolls, assuring party workers that legal assistance would be provided to voters facing difficulties, including deletion of names.

Bhabanipur has played a pivotal role in Banerjee’s political journey. After losing Nandigram in 2021, she returned to the constituency through a by-election to retain the chief minister’s post, winning comfortably. However, in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the TMC’s reduced margin in the segment signalled a shift in the political landscape.

As West Bengal prepares to vote in April, with polling scheduled in two phases and counting in early May, the TMC leadership is seeking to reinforce its organisational strength in key constituencies, signalling that even its strongest seats will be closely contested.

With PTI inputs