Long lines snaked around polling booths in Kolkata and beyond as West Bengal’s second phase voting for the 2026 Assembly polls got underway. BJP hopefuls wasted no time claiming the momentum was firmly in their favor, with promises of ousting Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s government.
Rashbehari BJP contender Swapan Dasgupta set the tone post-voting. He described the morning rush as a ‘voter revolution,’ with queues underscoring widespread desire for parivartan (change). ‘Central forces ensure fairness; expect soaring turnout,’ Dasgupta predicted, linking it to BJP’s rising fortunes.
In Pursura, Biman Ghosh rallied supporters with a call to action. Framing elections as a ‘grand celebration of democracy,’ he pushed the ‘first vote, then breakfast’ mantra. Slamming TMC’s ‘aunt-nephew cartel,’ Ghosh ridiculed an alleged attack on MP Mitali Bag’s vehicle as pure ‘theater.’ He boldly projected record-breaking polls and BJP forming the next government.
Pawan Singh from Bhattapara expressed relief at the incident-free start. Referencing a recent shooting of a central force personnel, he commended heightened vigilance and arrests. ‘Don’t treat polling day as a picnic—your vote shapes the future,’ Singh implored, advocating civic responsibility.
Panihati’s emotive candidate Ratna Debnath, mother of the RG Kar tragedy victim, radiated hope. ‘Justice awaits through people’s mandate; we will triumph,’ she proclaimed. With BJP’s aggressive narrative gaining traction, phase two could mark a pivotal moment in Bengal’s polarized politics, where high stakes meet high spirits.
