A major political storm erupted in West Bengal on Thursday, April 30, as the Trinamool Congress (TMC) alleged ballot tampering, sharing a CCTV video that it claimed showed ballot boxes being opened without party representatives present. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee arrived at a strongroom in Kolkata as the controversy escalated, while the Election Commission denied any wrongdoing.
The drama unfolded a day after the second phase of polling concluded, and just four days before votes are set to be counted on May 4.
EVM Tampering Controversy: TMC vs EC
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| TMC Allegation | BJP, in collusion with EC, opened ballot boxes without party stakeholders present |
| Evidence | TMC shared CCTV footage on X, calling it “murder of democracy in broad daylight” |
| EC Response | All strongrooms duly closed and sealed in presence of candidates and observers |
| EC Clarification | Separate strongroom for postal ballots; all parties informed via email |
The Trinamool Congress shared a video on its official X account with the caption: “This is the murder of democracy in broad daylight. CCTV footage has exposed how @BJP4India, in active collusion with the @ECISVEEP, is opening ballot boxes without the presence of any relevant party stakeholders.”
Election Commission’s Response: In a comprehensive statement, the EC confirmed that all seven strong rooms within the Kshudiram Anushilan Kendra have been duly closed and sealed following the conclusion of polling. The process was completed in the presence of candidates, election agents, and the General Observer.
Mamata Banerjee at Strongroom; Leaders React
| Leader | Action/Statement |
|---|---|
| Mamata Banerjee | Arrived at Sakhawat Memorial High School strongroom |
| Suvendu Adhikari | LoP to reach the EC strongroom shortly |
| Kunal Ghosh (TMC) | “What happened today was wrong”; called off dharna after demands accepted |
| Madan Mitra (TMC) | Alleged “conspiracy by BJP” to show voting peaceful then repeat Nandigram drama |
| Tapas Roy (BJP) | Dismissed allegations as “rumours” by TMC fearing loss |
After calling off the dharna, TMC leader Kunal Ghosh said the day’s developments should not have happened. He claimed the party had demanded more CCTV cameras and real-time monitoring of the strong room, a proposal officials accepted.
Tapas Roy, BJP leader and candidate from Maniktala, dismissed the allegations, saying: “This is just a rumour, nothing else. They are making such claims because they are going to lose.”
Exit Polls: Mixed Verdict
| Pollster | BJP Seats | TMC Seats | Others |
|---|---|---|---|
| Today’s Chanakya | 192+ | 100+ | – |
| Matrize | 146-161 | 120-140 | – |
| P-Marq | 150-175 | 118-138 | – |
| People’s Pulse | – | 177-187 | – |
| Janmaat Polls | – | 195-205 | – |
| JVC | Tight race | Tight race | – |
Axis My India decided not to release its exit polls, with director Pradeep Gupta citing a “silent trend” where nearly 70% of voters refused to participate in the survey.
Today’s Chanakya predicted a thumping majority for the BJP with 192-plus seats, giving the TMC 100-plus seats. It also predicted a 48% vote share for the BJP against the TMC’s 38%.
People’s Pulse and Janmaat Polls, however, predicted a return of the incumbent TMC government with thumping majorities (177-187 and 195-205 seats respectively).
Mamata Banerjee’s Response to Exit Polls
Amid the majority of pollsters predicting a BJP edge, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee assured her party workers that the TMC would return to power for a third consecutive time with a thumping majority.
In a video message on X, she said: “I assure you, Trinamool Congress will return to power. We will cross 226 in 2026.” She also alleged that pollsters released their numbers “under the pressure of the Bharatiya Janata Party.”
Other Key Developments
- Tamil Nadu Exit Polls: Today’s Chanakya predicted a DMK return with 125 seats, while giving Vijay’s TVK 63 seats and the AIADMK-BJP alliance 45 seats.
- BJP Strategy Meet: BJP to hold a key strategy meeting in Kolkata on May 2 to prepare for counting day.
- TMC Monitoring Camp: TMC set up a temporary monitoring camp in Durgapur near the EVM strongroom, with around 100 workers maintaining a round-the-clock vigil.
