Bengal Polls: TMC leader slams BJP for showing up only for votes

TMC candidate Arindam Guin slammed the BJP for its pre-election presence, questioning where the party was for the last 5 years. Meanwhile, the BJP has released its second list of 111 candidates for the high-stakes West Bengal Assembly polls.

TMC Slams BJP's Pre-Election Presence

Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate from Champdani Assembly constituency, Arindam Guin, took a swipe at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections, questioning its engagement with voters over the past five years. Speaking to ANI, Guin said, "Those who talk about change, where were they for the last 5 years?... These people show up just before the elections for votes. The common people were with TMC, are with TMC, and will remain with TMC in 2026 too."

BJP Announces Candidate List

Meanwhile, the BJP on Thursday released its second list of 111 candidates for the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections, setting the stage for a high-stakes contest against the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) across all 294 constituencies in the state.

TMC Candidate Line-up and Alliances

Earlier on March 17, the TMC had announced its candidates for 291 Assembly seats for the West Bengal elections scheduled to be held in two phases on April 23 and April 29, with counting on May 4. The party has allotted three seats to its ally Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM), which will contest from Darjeeling, Kurseong, and Kalimpong constituencies.

Key Candidates and Contests

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will contest from Bhabanipur against BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari. Several leaders have also been fielded across key constituencies, including Chandrima Bhattacharya, Madan Mitra, Firhad Hakim, Kunal Ghosh, and Shashi Panja. Ratna Chatterjee has been nominated from Behala Paschim in place of former minister Parth Chatterjee.

Mamata Banerjee Targets BJP

Banerjee, while announcing the candidate list, also targeted the BJP over its approach to the elections and governance issues. She urged voters to support TMC, stating that the party remains committed to the interests of the state.

Election Schedule

The West Bengal assembly election will be held in two phases, with polling scheduled for April 23 and April 29. Counting of votes for both phases will be conducted on May 4. The election process is scheduled to be completed by May 6. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)