Despite an unusually early and aggressive security push by the Election Commission (EC), the political atmosphere in poll-bound West Bengal is already showing signs of strain, raising questions about whether the EC’s pre-emptive measures are effectively working ahead of the Assembly elections next month.
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Over the past month, a series of incidents has highlighted the persistence of political violence, even before the formal electoral process has fully gained momentum.
Bengal’s pre-poll violence cycle
In Gangarampur in the state’s South 24 Parganas, Shiba Choudhury, a leader of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), was critically injured in a shooting on Tuesday (March 24), allegedly by a fellow party member. The former was on his way home around 10 pm when his vehicle was reportedly stopped by another party leader, Basubabu Choudhury.
The latter allegedly opened fire indiscriminately, with one bullet striking Shiba in the chest.
The same day, Kishore Das, a worker from the state’s Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in South 24 Parganas, was killed on March 24. The party alleged that TMC activists were responsible, though police said a personal motive could not be ruled out and that a complaint had been lodged and a probe was underway.
On Monday (March 23), a worker of the Indian Secular Front (ISF) was seriously injured in an alleged attack in Jamuria, Paschim Bardhaman district. The ISF claimed TMC supporters carried out the assault. According to police, the victim was attacked with sharp weapons while returning home after an election meeting and sustained multiple injuries, including to the head. He is currently receiving treatment in the hospital.
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The TMC denied involvement, suggesting the incident may have stemmed from a personal dispute. The police confirmed a complaint has been lodged and an investigation is underway.
In another incident, the body of Masiur Gazi, a local functionary and booth president of the TMC in Haroa, North 24 Parganas, was recovered on March 19 with multiple injuries. Police said the exact motive behind the murder remains unclear, and multiple angles are being investigated, including a possible link to a blast in Bhangar, South 24 Parganas, the day before.
Earlier this month, Trilokesh Dhali, a worker associated with the state’s Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was injured when two motorcycle-borne assailants fired at him near a bus stand in Gangasagar, also in South 24 Parganas, according to police.
While authorities investigate these incidents individually, clashes and localised tensions have also been reported from areas including Bhangar, Baranagar, Sandeshkhali, Canning, and Joka in the southern parts of the state.
In Sandeshkhali, in North 24 Parganas district, a shop owned by a BJP supporter was allegedly set on fire on March 22, with the party accusing TMC activists of targeting the family over their political affiliation.
In another recent incident in Kolkata’s Joka area, the wife of a BJP functionary alleged that she was assaulted and molested by a group of men she claimed were linked to the TMC.
Police registered a case under multiple sections related to assault and outraging modesty. The ruling party denied the allegations, calling them politically motivated.
Pre-poll violence mars EC’s tough stance
These early flare-ups have punched a hole in the EC’s tough posturing this time.
Proclaiming a zero-tolerance policy against violence, the commission deployed central forces in sensitive areas of the state as early as March 1, weeks before the election schedule was even announced.
Within hours of announcing the schedule on March 15, it removed the top brass of the state administration to assert control over the law-and-order machinery. It also assigned more than 400 observers to enhance the supervision of law enforcement.
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These pre-poll measures, including increased patrolling, round-the-clock surveillance, and stricter movement restrictions, have clearly done little to curb political violence.
“On paper, the commission appears proactive, but the ground tells a very different story,” said former IPS officer Nazrul Islam, who had overseen past elections in the state.
Many have even questioned whether the EC is genuinely committed to containing unrest or is merely indulging in political posturing.
“What can be expected from a commission that has been conducting polls while disenfranchising lakhs of voters? What could be a greater attack on the electoral process than that?” said Socialist Unity Centre of India leader Amitava Chatterjee.
TMC accuses EC of bias with specific complaints
The TMC, which has engaged in endless bouts of political kickboxing with the EC this election season over subjects such as the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in the state, has gone to the extent of accusing the commission and central forces of bias, citing some specific allegations.
In one case, the Mamata Banerjee-led party alleged that Bihar-cadre IPS officer Jayant Kant, appointed by the commission as a police observer in Malda district, has close political ties with the BJP, noting that his wife is a saffron party leader from the neighbouring state.
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The TMC sought his removal, arguing that the appointment compromises perceived neutrality in sensitive constituencies near the Bihar border.
In another controversy, the TMC lodged a complaint after a video surfaced showing a Central Armed Police Force jawan in uniform carrying cut‑outs of the BJP’s lotus symbol during campaigning in Bengal’s Bankura district.
Party MP Kirti Azad condemned these incidents and also showed the media photographs of the BJP’s alleged hobnobbing with government personnel.
These allegations have added fuel to broader criticism within Bengal’s political discourse, with opponents questioning whether the commission’s actions and certain on‑ground developments are genuinely aimed at impartial enforcement or are feeding into narratives of bias ahead of the polls.
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“It is unfortunate that, on the ground, we see no improvement in the law-and-order situation. Instead, the commission appears to be acting as a catalyst in promoting a particular narrative that only reinforces the TMC-BJP binary,” said Congress leader Chandan Ghosh Choudhury.
The EC, however, reiterated its commitment to a violence‑free poll. Accordingly, it directed police and general observers to intensify visits to local police stations across the state to prevent intimidation and strengthen accountability.
“Observers were instructed to visit all stations under their jurisdictions, submit detailed reports, and work closely with local officers to identify trouble spots and maintain strict law and order. The commission also warned that disciplinary action would be taken against negligent personnel,” sources told The Federal.
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