August 3, 2025

In a significant political event for West Bengal, Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee will address over 9,000 party leaders and functionaries in a virtual meeting scheduled for August 5. This gathering comes as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has initiated a four-day organizational meeting in Kolkata that started on Friday, marking an important moment for both parties as they finalize strategies ahead of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise scheduled for next year. Abhishek Banerjee's address aims to strategize on pressing issues, including the ongoing SIR and concerns regarding the treatment of Bengali migrant workers in states led by the BJP. According to a senior TMC leader, every level of party representation will be involved, from party MPs to panchayat leaders, making this a major engagement for TMC's organizational framework. This virtual meeting was initially planned for August 8 but was moved up to accommodate the urgent political climate. The Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, has previously criticized the SIR process in Bihar, claiming it is a hidden agenda to introduce the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Bengal. Banerjee has asserted that she will resist any measures that she perceives as infringements on the rights of the people. Moreover, she has directed Booth Level Officers (BLOs) to ensure that voters' names remain intact on the electoral rolls and to prevent harassment in this respect. On the other side, the BJP's state unit aims to bolster its booth-level networks through this organizational meeting. A party leader, wishing to remain anonymous, indicated that this meeting would also focus on how BJP members can effectively respond to TMC's narrative surrounding issues like the SIR, amidst claims that TMC is spreading a false narrative to intimidate voters. State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya mentioned that the SIR process, which was last observed in 2022, is a continuous operation. He reassured Hindu voters and Indian Muslims that they should have no concerns about the SIR, framing the BJP's efforts as protective against misinformation. In preparation for the SIR, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has instructed all political parties in West Bengal to submit the names of their booth-level agents (BLAs). This is part of the electoral preparation process geared towards the anticipated SIR rollout. Manoj Kumar Agarwal, the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal, stated that this administrative step is crucial for maintaining the integrity of the electoral roll. There’s skepticism about the BJP’s capability to appoint BLAs at every booth across the state, as posited by TMC leader Kunal Ghosh. He emphasized the importance of allowing constitutional bodies like the ECI to function independently, aiming for an error-free voters' list that ensures free and fair elections. The announcement comes after the WBCEO's office released data from the last SIR conducted in 2022, positioning it as a key reference for upcoming electoral activities. This initiative draws parallels with the 2003 SIR in Bihar, which was released shortly before a similar electoral roll revision by the ECI. With both TMC and BJP gearing up for a heated political landscape, the coming weeks will be pivotal in shaping the strategies of these major parties as they seek to connect with voters in West Bengal ahead of the legislative elections set for 2026.

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Tags: Tmc, Bjp, West bengal, Sir, Elections,