West Bengal Assembly Elections: A look at everything that happened during the second phase of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly polls in ten key points.
With the commencement of the second phase of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, several incidents occurred in conjunction with the voting process. Reports of alleged riots and violence emerged, even as the Trinamool Congress and BJP traded accusations, with each blaming the other for spreading unrest and trying to influence the elections.
West Bengal Assembly Elections Phase 2 | 10 points
1. Mamata and Suvendu meet in the same stall at the same time
The second phase of polls in Bengal began on a dramatic note, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari meeting at the same booth in Chakrabiriya, Bhabanipur.
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Mamata is locked in a prestige battle here, which is also a rematch of Nandigram 2021, where she was defeated by the BJP leader. After Adhikari’s victory in Nandigram, the BJP decided to field him again against Mamata – this time in Bhabanipur.
Banerjee was already sitting outside the booth after receiving complaints about alleged intimidation of local TMC leaders when Adhikari arrived amid heavy deployment of central forces.
2. The war of words between Mamata and Adhikari
“I will not allow any riots,” Adhikari, who got out of his car at the booth, declared while Banerjee accused the BJP of trying to “rig” the elections by using central forces, police observers and election officials. Some voters, PTI reported, said that Mamata had brought men in her car to threaten them.
Adhikari said, “Mamata Banerjee is afraid, nothing else. Her police has been replaced by CAPF and that is why she is afraid. The Election Commission has deployed CAPF force here, so if she faces any problem, she should approach the Election Commission. I will intervene wherever needed. This time no one will be spared. People should be allowed to vote… Bhabanipur will lose by at least 30,000 votes.”
3. BJP unleashes terror and strikes TMC workers, claims Mamata
“BJP wants to rig these elections. Elections in Bengal are usually peaceful. Is there a Goonda Raj here?” Banerjee told reporters that CRPF personnel visited the homes of TMC leaders late on Tuesday night and unleashed terror in the area.
Speaking to reporters, Banerjee showed a photo/video of a party worker who she claimed was beaten up by the BJP, saying: “Look how our worker was beaten up at night. Just look at these atrocities. What kind of riots are happening? Voting does not happen this way. Voting happens peacefully.”
She also accused the BJP of “bringing observers from outside” into the state and said they were practicing “terrorism”. Her comments came after Banerjee visited several polling stations in her Bhabanipur Assembly constituency and alleged that central forces and election observers were acting at the behest of the BJP.
4. Mamata breaks down her voting day routine
Mamata Banerjee, who usually steps out of her Kalighat residence later in the day to cast her vote at the Mitra Institute School, broke the convention and hit the floor before 8 am. It moved through Sheetla, Padmapukur and Chakrapriya, underscoring the high stakes associated with Bhabanipur and the wider battle in south Bengal.
It is worth noting that she remained calm throughout the voting period in the first stage.
5. BJP accuses TMC of beating up its own poll agent
In Chhabra in Nadia district, a BJP poll worker was allegedly assaulted inside a booth during a mock poll. The Bharatiya Janata Party accused TMC supporters of attacking its agent, while the ruling party denied the charge. In Shantipur, a BJP camp office was found vandalized.
6. EVM malfunction reported
Pali constituency in Howrah witnessed tension at a booth in Lelua after an electronic voting machine malfunction delayed voting, prompting central forces to anger voters. Two people were arrested in connection with the incident.
7. Guns and goons
In Panihati, BJP candidate Ratna Debnath, mother of victim RG Kar, faced protests and her car was allegedly stopped by TMC workers.
In Jagadal, the discovery of a firearm near a polling station sparked tension before police and central forces restored order.
Alleging that his car was attacked by TMC workers, Bikash Sardar, BJP candidate from Basanti Assembly constituency, said, “Gundagiri by TMC is happening everywhere in the constituency. 200-250 TMC men attacked my car with bamboo rods and sticks. They also attacked my driver.”
8. Modi’s challenge
TMC MP Derek O’Brien posed a direct challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and asked him to “resign” if Mamata Banerjee and the TMC win the state.
“Narendra, you have declared yourself the candidate for all 294 seats in Bengal. Stop making big talk. Accept this challenge. On May 4, when Mamata Banerjee and TMC won Bengal, he resigned from the post of chief minister,” Derek said in a video he shared.
9. Surveillance drones in the notorious Bhangar area
In Bhangar, Kolkata Police intensified surveillance using drones to prevent any untoward incidents. Senior officers, including Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Subhankar Sinha and Rupesh Kumar, along with other officials, closely monitored the situation to ensure law and order was maintained.
10. BJP’s Amit Malviya accuses TMC of blocking votes with tape on electronic voting machines in Valta
Amit Malviya accused Mamata Banerjee and the TMC of blocking the BJP’s voting option by putting tape on the EVM buttons at the polling station in Valta.
Malviya shared a video claiming that “in several polling stations, the option to vote for the BJP was blocked using tape, effectively preventing voters from exercising their choice.” He demanded an immediate re-survey in all the affected kiosks in Valta.
(With inputs from agencies)
