West Bengal’s election campaign has moved into a more combative phase, with senior leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the All India Trinamool Congress trading barbs as the Assembly contest tightens ahead of the next round of polling.Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s declaration that she would take the fight against the BJP to Delhi after securing Bengal drew a swift response from Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who mocked her national ambitions and suggested that her hold over the state had weakened. The exchange sharpened an already bitter campaign in which governance, welfare promises, political violence, corruption allegations and the role of central agencies have dominated public meetings.
Banerjee told voters that her party’s objective was not merely to retain power in Kolkata but to defeat the BJP’s wider political project. Her remarks were framed by the TMC as a call to defend federal politics and regional rights. The BJP countered that the statement reflected desperation at a time when the party claims anti-incumbency, corruption cases and local anger have dented the TMC’s appeal.
The confrontation came as campaigning intensified for the next phase of polling on 29 April, following an earlier round on 23 April. The Election Commission has sought to project strict neutrality, promising a fear-free and violence-free vote while warning against booth interference, intimidation, inducements and misuse of state machinery.
Election authorities have also acted against officials accused of failing to maintain neutrality. The officer-in-charge of Hingalganj police station in North 24 Parganas was suspended over alleged partisanship, with disciplinary proceedings ordered. The move followed complaints and field reports linked to local tensions, including allegations surrounding cash distribution and police action against BJP workers.
The BJP has accused the TMC of using the police and local administration to pressure opposition workers, disrupt campaigning and protect ruling-party networks. The TMC has rejected the allegations, saying the BJP is attempting to discredit state institutions while depending on central agencies and central forces to influence the election atmosphere.
Personal attacks have become a defining feature of the campaign. Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier described the TMC government as “nirmam”, or cruel, while Banerjee likened the BJP to a snake and warned voters that the party could not be trusted. The language has raised concerns among election observers because such rhetoric can harden partisan divisions and raise tensions in constituencies with a history of political clashes.
The TMC has also described Modi as a “political tourist” during his Kolkata visit, accusing the BJP of treating Bengal as a stage for optics rather than addressing employment, prices, river erosion, border-area distress and welfare delivery. The BJP has responded by arguing that the TMC is trying to distract voters from corruption allegations, violence against opposition workers and the state’s record on law and order.
Complaints over alleged hate speech have added another layer to the contest. Both parties have approached the Election Commission over remarks they say were threatening, derogatory or inflammatory. One dispute involved comments linked to the BJP’s Panihati candidate, the mother of the RG Kar hospital doctor who was raped and murdered last year, and TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee.
The RG Kar case remains politically sensitive because it combines public anger over women’s safety, institutional accountability and allegations of administrative failure. The BJP has tried to make it a symbol of the TMC’s governance record, while the TMC has accused the opposition of exploiting a tragedy for electoral gain.
Street-level clashes have reinforced concerns about violence. Campaign-related confrontations were reported in Kolkata’s Dhapa area, where a loudspeaker dispute during BJP candidate Priyanka Tibrewal’s campaign led to a scuffle and injuries. The BJP alleged intimidation by TMC workers, while the TMC accused the opposition of provocation. Police and central forces intervened to restore order.
Beyond rhetoric, both parties are competing over welfare and identity. The BJP has promised higher support for women and farmers, stronger action against corruption and tighter law-and-order measures. The TMC is leaning on its welfare schemes, its record of resisting the BJP’s expansion and Banerjee’s image as a leader rooted in Bengal’s political culture.