West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee cast her vote in the Bhabanipur constituency on Wednesday during the second and final phase of the 2026 Assembly elections, expressing strong confidence in her party’s victory while launching sharp criticism against the opposition and central agencies.
Voting for this phase is being held across 142 constituencies in South Bengal, including Kolkata, with polling stations witnessing steady queues since morning. The election is considered crucial as it will determine the fate of key political leaders, including Banerjee, who is contesting from her traditional stronghold Bhabanipur.
After casting her vote, Banerjee said she was confident that the people of Bengal would once again support her party, the Trinamool Congress (TMC), and reject what she described as attempts to “bulldoze democracy.” She alleged that central forces, including the CRPF, were being misused to intimidate voters and party workers during polling.
The Chief Minister also accused the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of trying to influence the electoral process through pressure tactics. She claimed that such actions would not succeed, as voters were determined to exercise their democratic rights freely. Her remarks come amid an already tense political atmosphere, with both major parties trading allegations of malpractice and intimidation.
Bhabanipur has emerged as one of the most high-profile battlegrounds in this election, seen as a prestige fight between Banerjee and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari. The constituency has long been considered a stronghold of the Chief Minister, adding further significance to the outcome.
Meanwhile, polling across the state has largely remained peaceful, though reports of scattered incidents and heated exchanges between rival camps have surfaced. The presence of heavy security deployment reflects the high stakes involved in the election.
As voting progresses, all eyes remain on Bhabanipur and other key constituencies, with results scheduled to be announced on May 4. The outcome is expected to shape the political direction of West Bengal for the next five years.
