The Election Commission has announced that re-polling will be conducted in 15 booths across parts of West Bengal following allegations of irregularities during voting held on 29 April. The re-polling is scheduled to take place on Saturday, 2 May, and will cover select booths in the South 24 Parganas district.

According to officials, the decision has been taken after reviewing complaints regarding disruptions and alleged malpractice during polling day. The affected booths fall within two Assembly constituencies—Magrahat Paschim and Diamond Harbour.

In Assembly Constituency No. 142, Magrahat Paschim, re-polling will be held at multiple locations. These include Uttar Yarpur Primary School (Room 2), Najra Primary School (Rooms 1 and 2), Deula Primary School (Room 1), Ghola Nayapara Girls' High Madrasa (Room 2), Ektara Malaya Primary School (Rooms 1 and 2), Ektara Malaya Dhora Primary School (Room 1), and Bahirpua Kurkuria Primary School (Rooms 1, 2 and 3).

Similarly, in Assembly Constituency No. 143, Diamond Harbour, voters will return to the booths at Bagda Junior High School, Chanda Primary School (Room 2), Haridevpur Primary School, and Raynagar Primary School.

Sources have also indicated that several booths in the Falta Assembly constituency may be considered for re-polling as well, although a final confirmation on those locations is still awaited.

While the Election Commission has maintained that the re-polling is being carried out to ensure a free and fair electoral process, the move is likely to further intensify the already charged political atmosphere in the state. Security arrangements are expected to be tightened significantly in all the identified booths.

Central forces and polling officials will be deployed to ensure that voting takes place peacefully and without disruption. Voters in the affected areas have been urged to participate in the re-polling and exercise their democratic rights.

Meanwhile, with the counting of votes scheduled for Monday, political tensions in West Bengal have intensified, as both the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) step up their preparations and scrutiny of strong room security across the state.

The top leadership of the Trinamool Congress, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and party leader Abhishek Banerjee, is leaving nothing to chance. Both leaders are closely monitoring the situation and held meetings at Kalighat to review security arrangements, assessed reports from districts, and finalised strategies for counting day.

Abhishek Banerjee is also expected to hold a dedicated meeting with party counting agents on Saturday, while Mamata Banerjee has already issued specific instructions to them.

Since Friday morning, several TMC candidates have been visiting counting centres to conduct on-the-spot inspections. These inspections include checking CCTV footage and reviewing overall security arrangements. The party leadership has directed workers and leaders to maintain round-the-clock vigilance outside strong rooms.

Meanwhile, the BJP has been actively preparing its own cadre for counting day. Senior leader Bhupendra Yadav attended meetings with counting agents in Siliguri and Malda, describing them as “workshops” focused on organisational preparedness. He emphasised the importance of ensuring a flawless counting process, stating that every vote cast by the public must be protected.

BJP leader Locket Chatterjee accused the TMC of creating “drama”, arguing that the ruling party is uneasy because it could not manipulate the elections this time.
Concerns over the security of strong rooms have intensified across West Bengal ahead of the vote count. In Kalna, a controversy broke out after CCTV cameras monitoring a strong room reportedly went offline for two minutes.

Trinamool Congress candidate Swapan Debnath rushed to the site and lodged a complaint with the Election Commission, warning that even a brief lapse could lead to serious irregularities. He has now decided to personally supervise night-time monitoring.

The BJP dismissed the allegations, with candidate Siddharth Majumdar accusing the TMC of creating excuses in anticipation of defeat. Tensions were also reported in Egra, where TMC workers protested, alleging that a BJP candidate was allowed unauthorised entry into a strong room. Officials later intervened to control the situation.

In Kolkata, Mamata Banerjee visited a strong room late at night, prompting counter-protests from BJP workers. She later claimed that an outsider had joined the protest and live-streamed the incident.

Similar concerns emerged in Bongaon and Katwa, with allegations of CCTV malfunction and a damaged boundary wall. In response, the Election Commission has strengthened security, deployed central forces, and enforced Section 163 to restrict gatherings near strong rooms.

Political tensions are rising in West Bengal as leaders across parties make bold claims ahead of the election results due on 4 May. On Thursday, 29 April, Congress leader Ghulam Ahmad Mir predicted a clear victory for the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), stating that the party is likely to emerge as the single largest force in the state.

Mir, who is the All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge for West Bengal, argued that despite the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) putting its full weight behind the campaign, elections are not won through aggressive tactics alone. He maintained that the people of Bengal have voted with awareness and independence.

He placed particular emphasis on women voters, suggesting that they played a decisive role in shaping the outcome. According to Mir, women make up around half of the electorate in the state, and a significant proportion of them supported the TMC due to welfare schemes introduced by the state government. He added that women from BJP-supporting households may also have voted in favour of the ruling party.

At the same time, Mir openly acknowledged the weakened condition of the Congress in West Bengal. He admitted that both the Congress and the Left Front have lost much of their organisational strength in the state. Despite this, he said the Congress is attempting to rebuild itself and position as a viable “third force” in the political landscape, even as he conceded that the TMC currently has a far stronger organisational network.

His remarks have sparked speculation about Congress’ intentions after the results are announced. There are indications that the party may seek to strengthen ties within the broader anti-BJP opposition alliance. Party sources suggest that a meeting of the INDIA bloc could soon be held in Delhi, with plans to coordinate both parliamentary strategies and public protests in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, not all Congress leaders share Mir’s assessment. Amba Prasad, who served as co-in-charge of the party’s election efforts in Bengal, struck a more optimistic note. She described the people of Bengal as highly discerning voters and argued that the Congress remains the only credible alternative in the state.

Prasad highlighted the party’s historical role in driving industrial development in West Bengal after independence and expressed confidence that it could regain support. She credited Rahul Gandhi’s leadership and public appeal as key factors that could help the Congress perform strongly. According to her, the party’s efforts under difficult conditions will eventually pay off, allowing it to re-establish itself as a serious political contender.

On the other side, the BJP has projected a sharply different picture. State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya has claimed that a “saffron storm” is on the horizon and that his party will secure more than 170 seats, enough to form the government.

Reacting to such claims, senior state Congress leader Adhir Chowdhury urged caution. He said it is too early to draw conclusions and that the final outcome will only be clear once votes are counted. While dismissing the BJP’s confidence, he acknowledged that there is significant public dissatisfaction with the current TMC government.

Chowdhury noted that there is widespread anger among voters, but also admitted that the situation remains unpredictable. According to him, the intensity of public sentiment makes it difficult to determine which party will ultimately benefit.

As West Bengal awaits the results, the political atmosphere remains charged with competing narratives. Each party is projecting confidence, yet underlying uncertainties continue to shape the discourse. The verdict on 4 May will not only determine the state’s leadership but could also influence the broader dynamics of opposition politics in India.