TMC, BJP Gear Up for 2026 West Bengal Polls with Booth Strategy

Speedy Summary

• Key Focus: TMC and BJP are prioritizing booth-level organizational strategies in West Bengal ahead of the 2026 assembly elections to address past electoral challenges.
• Polling Booth Data: There were approximately 80,000 polling booths during the 2021 assembly and 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
• TMC’s Strategy:

– TMC held a meeting with over 9,000 party workers led by national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.
– It plans to replace booth agents and presidents at polling booths where BJP had a lead of over 100 votes in previous elections (2021 Assembly & 2024 Lok Sabha).
– Directed regular meetings at every booth level while identifying election officials potentially affiliated with BJP or CPI(M).

• Electoral Roll controversy: The Election Commission suspended several officers for adding names to voter rolls without verification in two constituencies-Baruipur Purba (won by TMC) and Moyna (won by BJP).
• BJP’s Strategy:

– union Home Minister Amit Shah instructed the formation of booth committees within three months after weaknesses were identified during the last polls.
– State president Samik Bhattacharya made leadership changes in four district units following concerns about inefficiency.

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