Election 2026 LIVE: BJP alleges ‘wrongful’ strongroom opening day after TMC's sit-in

Election 2026 LIVE: After TMC, the BJP has now made allegations of irregularities in strongrooms. BJP leaders complained to the Bidhannagar SDO after a strong room was allegedly opened without authorisation, PTI reported. Six officials have been suspended. On Thursday, TMC leaders staged sit-in protest outside central Kolkata’s Khudiram Anushilan Kendra, the counting centre for several assembly constituencies housing EVM strongrooms, amid irregular activities inside the facility, even as chief minister Mamata Banerjee said her party will win at least 226 of the state’s 294 seats and the BJP countered it saying “her game has ended”.

A massive political row erupted in West Bengal on Thursday as Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders staged a sit-in protest outside central Kolkata’s Khudiram Anushilan Kendra, the counting centre for several assembly constituencies housing EVM strongrooms, alleging irregular activities inside the facility, even as chief minister Mamata Banerjee said her party will win at least 226 of the state’s 294 seats and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) countered it saying “her game has ended”.

Repolling has been announced at a total of 15 polling stations in Bengal on May 2 amid intensifying BJP vs TMC in the state. The repolling was announced by the Election Commission as it declared the voting held on April 29 as “void” under Section 58(2) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

'No scope of wrongdoing'

Amid the political upheaval in Bengal just ahead of counting on May 4, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Agarwal on Friday asserted there is no scope for wrongdoing at the counting centres. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday night spent hours at the counting centre for her Bhabanipur constituency alleging possibilities of malpractices,

Stating that round-the-clock CCTV monitoring of strong rooms was in place, he termed the allegations baseless. Kolkata Police has imposed Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita outside Sakhawat Memorial School, the counting centre and EVM strong room for the Bhabanipur Assembly constituency, following overnight tensions. Security has been significantly tightened to prevent unauthorised entry.

Suvendu says Mamata ‘under surveillance’

Suvendu Adhikari on Friday said strict vigil is being maintained at the strong room in Bhabanipur. He claimed that Mamata Banerjee has been kept “under surveillance” to prevent any irregular activity, adding that an election agent is present at the site to ensure transparency and adherence to electoral procedures.

Security tightened at strongrooms in Kolkata

Security has also been tightened outside the strong room at Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata ahead of the May 4 vote count. The move follows allegations by the Trinamool Congress that the Bharatiya Janata Party, in “active collusion” with the Election Commission of India, is attempting to open ballot boxes without the presence of authorised party representatives.

BJP’s Entally candidate Priyanka Tibrewal took a dig at TMC leaders Shashi Panja and Kunal Ghosh after their now called-off protest outside the strong room. She said: “Chor machaye shor. All the systems here are covered by CCTV - strong room, area outside the strong room and everywhere else. So, why are they so rattled? Their representatives are seated outside. This is not the first election that the TMC is contesting. They know the process.”

The Bhabanipur assembly constituency saw tensions flare up on Thursday as BJP workers blocked a TMC vehicle, alleging that it was carrying suspicious items.

A BJP worker claimed that the vehicle was transporting something questionable and insisted that it would not be allowed to move.

"There is something in the vehicle. Mamata Banerjee has brought something in her vehicle. The vehicle will not be allowed to move," he said.

EC denies TMC's claim that postal ballot strong room opened without following protocol

Election Commission denied the TMC allegations that potal ballots strong room was opened without presence of all party representatives. EC officials said eight strong rooms have been set up at Khudiram Anushilan Kendra. Seven of these store EVMs from assembly constituencies in North Kolkata, while the eighth contains postal ballots of polling personnel. According to officials, the strong room with postal ballots was opened in the presence of representatives of political parties, with the TMC also invited.

They added that the strong room was opened to segregate postal ballots before dispatching them to the respective districts, and that the process was carried out strictly as per protocol by senior government officials appointed as Assistant Returning Officers.

What are TMC's allegations?

Day after the conclusion of the second and final phase of assembly polling, with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) alleging that ballot boxes were opened without the presence of authorised party representatives. The allegations triggered protests, with party leaders staging a dharna outside Netaji Indoor Stadium.

TMC candidates Kunal Ghosh and Shashi Panja staged a sit-in protest outside the Khudiram Anushilan Kendra, alleging that live-streamed footage from CCTV cameras revealed the presence of outsiders inside the strongrooms who were “fiddling with ballot papers” from the machines.

“Party workers and supporters were present outside the strongroom till 3.30 pm. Suddenly, an email was sent informing that the strongroom would be opened again at 4 pm. We contacted our workers, and they said they had left. We then rushed here. Now we are not being allowed to enter. BJP is being invited,” Ghosh, who is contesting from Beleghata, alleged.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee visited the strong room in Bhabanipur late Thursday night, asserting that her party would resist any attempt to tamper with electronic voting machines (EVMs). Banerjee, who is contesting from the constituency against BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, said she acted after receiving reports of alleged irregularities across the state.

Election Commission officials rejected the claims, while BJP leaders accused the ruling party of spreading misinformation. The TMC later called off its protest at the venue.

Also Read | Today's Chanakya exit polls results: BJP sweep with 192+ seats in Bengal; edge to DMK in TN

“Our agent has been arrested; there has been so much one-sidedness. Even after that, if someone tries to steal the EVM machine, if someone tries to steal the counting, then we will fight life and death together,” said Mamata.

Suvendu Adhikari, meanwhile, posted on X that he had deployed a polling agent at the strong room in Kolkata where Mamata Banerjee was present last night to ensure she was kept under strict surveillance. He shared CCTV footage of Banerjee and the BJP polling agent inside the strong room and wrote: “As long as she was present in the strong room premises, my election agent, Advocate Suryanil Das, was personally there keeping her under strict surveillance so that she could not resort to any dishonest means.”

BJP making govt in Bengal, as per Chanakya's exit poll predictions

For West Bengal, Chanakya has projected a sweeping victory for the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, estimating 192–203 seats. The incumbent Trinamool Congress-led alliance is expected to secure 100–111 seats, while others may get 2–4 seats.

Other pollsters, including Peoples Pulse, Matrize and, P-Marq, have projected that BJP is likely to give a tough fight to TMC in the elections. However, Axis My India did not release their predictions citing lack of enough feedback from the voters after two phases of voting.

Projections in other states?

The DMK-led alliance is set for comfortable win in Tamil Nadu, majority of pollsters predicted including Chanakya. The pollster also predicted a victory for BJP-led NDA in Assam and an edge for the Congress-led UDF in Kerala, with the LDF trailing closely. Exit polls for Puducherry’s 30-seat assembly indicate a clear advantage for the NDA, with most agencies projecting it in the lead, often nearing or crossing the halfway mark.

Assembly election results out on May 4

The Election Commission of India conducted polling in Assam and Kerala on April 9, while West Bengal and Tamil Nadu voted on April 23, with a second phase in Bengal held on April 29.

The results for all four state assemblies, along with Puducherry, will be announced by the poll body on May 4.