Suvendu Adhikari alleged that electronic voting machines and strong rooms in Bhabanipur constituency were under strict surveillance amid allegations of tampering.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee remains “under surveillance” to prevent any irregularities before the elections. West Bengal election results, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari said on Friday. His remarks came as the Trinamool chief spent nearly four hours in the EVM strong room last night, leaving at 12:07 am.
Adhikari, who is challenging Banerjee in Bhabanipur, said electronic voting machines and strong chambers in Bhabanipur Bhabanipur constituency is under strict surveillance amid allegations of vote tampering.
Adhikari shared a picture of Banerjee inside the strong room and wrote: “I would like to assure the esteemed community of voters from the entire West Bengal, including Bhabanipur constituency, that the Trinamool candidate from this Centre, i.e. the outgoing Chief Minister… has been given strict instructions to refrain from availing any undue benefits.”
Adhikari, a former aide of Mamata Banerjee, is now her BJP rival for the Bhabanipur seat.
“No matter how much effort she tried, she could not participate in any activities outside the rules,” Adhikari said.
His remarks came a day after Banerjee visited the strong room in Kolkata late at night. the The TMC leader alleged that the BJP is trying to manipulate the EVMs and warned against any such efforts.
Mamata Banerjee claimed that reports of irregularities related to electronic voting machines have emerged from several parts of the state. She said she decided to visit the strong room after reviewing surveillance camera images.
Earlier, Trinamool leaders held protests outside the Khudiram Anushilan Kendra in Kolkata. Leaders Kunal Ghosh and Shashi Banga alleged irregular activity inside the facility. They claimed that CCTV footage showed strangers inside the building “tampering with ballot papers.”
BJP leader Tapas Roy said strict security arrangements are in place in the EVM strong rooms and accused Trinamool of spreading rumors ahead of the counting process. “We will send two people to look after the strong room… They (the TMC) are just spreading rumors as they prepare for their defeat… There are three-layer security arrangements here,” he told news agency ANI.
Late on Thursday night, the Prime Minister arrived at Sakhawat Memorial School, which houses the powerful EVM auditorium.
“I came here because there is a strong room here for electronic voting machines. We found tampering in many places, so when I saw it on TV, I thought I should visit, I came, but the central forces restrained me, told me I have the right to go, as per election rules, candidates are allowed to go out of the locked room. Then I was allowed… If there is tampering, we will fight…” she told PTI.
She added: “People’s voices must be protected. I rushed here after receiving complaints, and the central forces did not allow me to enter at first.”
Banerjee also issued a warning ahead of the counting day on May 4, saying: “If there is any plan to tamper with the counting process, it will not be tolerated.”
The protest prompted police to deploy their personnel outside the fortified rooms in Kolkata.
Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal denied the allegations, saying there was no basis for doubt and the arrangements were completely secure with three-tier security involving state police and central police forces.
Anita Goswami is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times, where she primarily covers Indian and international news. With four years of experience in the field, she has led coverage of Indian general elections, Assembly elections, and national polls in the US, Canada, Bangladesh and Nepal. Its reports cover world wars and major events, including Operation Sindoor, the overthrow of Sheikh Hasina, and the Mahakumbh Mela. It verifies the facts and uses clear sources to ensure the accuracy of the reports. As a former Editor-in-Chief at Storytailors, she has managed teams to produce high-quality content for networks such as NDTV, Profit, CNBC-TV18, Upstox and News18. Her work has appeared on NDTV, Meaww and Global Pulse. Throughout her tenure, Anita has collaborated with and received mentoring from leading industry experts. When she’s not reading, Anita can be found outside or at a bakery. Areas of interest: Indian political history, international elections, historical policy analysis, global conflicts, cultural events, Formula 1, art, media ethics, reporting on social and political change over time.Read more
