KOLKATA - Political tensions in West Bengal escalated dramatically as the opposition Trinamool Congress (TMC) party office in Jamuria was set on fire on Monday, with the party accusing supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of orchestrating the arson attack. The incident unfolded amid a backdrop of unprecedented political violence, intimidation, and widespread allegations of electoral malpractice across the state.
The fire broke out at the TMC office in Jamuria as vote counting for the high-stakes West Bengal Assembly elections progressed, with trends showing a decisive lead for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party in the state of approximately 100 million people .
Opposition Party's office set on Fire in india. pic.twitter.com/2bLFsQG0Lh https://t.co/ILJXXvpl2a
- Mohsin Ali (@Mohsin_o2) May 4, 2026
The alleged attack on the TMC office in Jamuria occurred during live vote counting, with the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) claiming its office was deliberately set ablaze by BJP supporters . The arson came amid heightened political temperatures as counting progressed, with clashes between rival party workers reported from multiple districts including Bankura, Barrackpore, Cooch Behar, and Asansol .
The incident follows allegations that at the Rastraguru Surendranath counting centre in Barrackpore, North 24 Parganas, a scuffle broke out, prompting swift deployment of security personnel . In Cooch Behar's Dinhata, clashes between BJP and TMC workers escalated to the point where central forces resorted to a lathicharge to disperse the crowd .
Earlier in the day, similar scenes unfolded in Asansol, where a clash at the Engineering College counting centre spiraled into violence, with chairs and vehicles vandalised before police intervened with a lathicharge .
The post-election violence is not limited to party offices. Residents of Falta in South 24 Parganas took to the streets in mass protests, alleging widespread intimidation and threats by TMC cadres ahead of the vote counting .
Multiple sources have documented graphic allegations:
Threats of Rape and Arson Against Women Voters
A resident of Hasimnagar in Falta told media: "They threatened to set us on fire, locking the door from outside. They threatened to kill our children. Our only fault is that we are Hindus, and they feared we might vote for the BJP. Since they threatened to set our homes on fire and rape us, most of us did not dare turn up at the polling stations" .
Another woman alleged that a local TMC leader entered her village with a group on motorcycles, issuing threats of violence, with warnings of possible attacks and killings .
Shopkeepers Forced to Close
A shopkeeper claimed: "Israfil and his men came on the day of polling, shut my shop and took away the key, ordering that it will remain closed for the next five years" .
Economic Coercion and Voter Suppression
Multiple accounts indicated that systematic intimidation began at least two days before polling, effectively confining families indoors despite the deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF). Allegations include voters being warned of being "burnt alive" and women threatened with "rape" if they dared to vote .
Political violence has not been one-sided. Reports indicate both parties have been involved in violent confrontations:
BJP workers injured: In Malda district, BJP mandal president Mahananda Mondal was allegedly attacked by suspected TMC workers on Thursday afternoon, stopped on the road and assaulted with bricks before being admitted to Malda Medical College and Hospital .
CPI(M) agent attacked: In Murshidabad district, a CPI(M) polling agent, Ruhul Amin, was allegedly attacked at a tea stall by a group of local leaders reportedly led by a TMC regional functionary .
Five persons injured: In a clash between TMC and BJP workers at Dulduli Kakpara under Hingalganj police station in North 24 Parganas, five persons were injured, two seriously, with two persons arrested .
TMC worker's shop torched: In South 24 Parganas' Bhangar, a TMC worker's shop was allegedly set on fire, with the owner accusing ISF supporters of being responsible .
Amid the violence, the Election Commission of India's (ECI) leads show a dramatic shift in West Bengal's political landscape. As of 3 PM on May 4, trends indicated:
| Party | Leading + Won | Seats |
|---|---|---|
| Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) | 194 + 1 | 195 |
| Trinamool Congress (TMC) | 91 + 1 | 92 |
| Indian National Congress (INC) | 2 | 2 |
| Others | 4 | 4 |
The trends suggest a BJP majority in the 294-seat assembly, which would represent a significant expansion of the party's national footprint into a state long held by the regional TMC .
Adding to the volatile atmosphere, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and other TMC leaders have leveled serious accusations of strongroom violations and potential EVM tampering.
CCTV Blackout Allegations
The TMC has alleged power outages and CCTV camera switch-offs at multiple strongrooms across the state. According to Mahua Moitra, specific allegations include cameras switched off at multiple counting centres, a blackout across four strongrooms, and a 2-minute-16-second outage that TMC claims is no coincidence .
Banerjee has named specific locations where she alleges irregularities occurred, including Sreerampur in Hooghly, Krishnanagar in Nadia, Ausgram in Bardhaman, and the Khudiram Anushilan Kendra in Kolkata .
Four-Hour Sit-in by Mamata Banerjee
On April 30, the night after polling ended, Banerjee staged a four-hour sit-in outside the Sakhawat Memorial Girls School strongroom in Bhabanipur, alleging unauthorised EVM access . The BJP responded the same night, with their workers blocking a TMC vehicle outside the same centre, claiming it carried duplicate EVMs meant for a swap inside .
Election Commission Response
The Election Commission has dismissed the allegations, asserting that there is "no scope for wrongdoing" given the multi-layered security arrangements, including round-the-clock CCTV monitoring and heavy deployment of security forces .
The EC explained that CCTV footage from the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Indoor Stadium strongroom showing unidentified individuals resulted from a power failure, with officials entering to sort postal ballots by torchlight - and that all parties had been notified in advance . TMC's Shubhankar Bhattacharya responded: "Why were the lights off? Why was access allowed? It is up to the Election Commission to explain" .
The allegations and counter-allegations between the major political parties have reached a fever pitch.
BJP's Response
BJP spokesperson Sajal Ghosh called the TMC's charges "hilarious," stating that the TMC - which "used to win elections through unfair means and strongarm tactics" - is now "crying foul" .
BJP's Charles Nandy put it bluntly: "She is keeping her script ready. After May 4, she will say BJP has stolen votes" .
TMC's Position
Banerjee, speaking ahead of the counts, insisted her party would win despite the trends. "The BJP is not coming, take my word for it. Be patient till the last," she told supporters .
TMC leaders have continued to demand a thorough investigation into alleged strongroom violations and electoral irregularities.
Election Commission Action
The EC has ordered repolls in 15 polling stations across the Diamond Harbour and Magrahat Paschim Assembly constituencies in South 24 Parganas following reports of poll-day irregularities. In Falta, the EC directed the police to initiate a probe against two close aides of TMC candidate Jahangir Khan on charges of intimidation and coercion, resulting in the arrests of three individuals .
The political violence and electoral controversy in India's most populous state have drawn global attention. The Associated Press and AFP have both covered the escalating tensions, noting that the campaign was marked by protests over the removal of millions of names from voter rolls - a process billed as removing ineligible voters but which critics said was skewed against marginalised and minority communities .
As West Bengal awaits final results, the state remains volatile. Security has been intensified across sensitive areas, with authorities remaining on alert to prevent further escalation .
The image of an opposition party office in flames captures a democracy in distress. Whether the violence will subside once official results are declared - or escalate further - remains to be seen.
As one observer noted, Bengal is counting. Neither side is standing down.
