TMC’s Shashi Panja, Kunal Ghosh Stage High-Voltage Overnight Dharna At Netaji Indoor Stadium In Kolkata, Questions Strong Room Transparency

Kolkata: High-voltage political drama erupted in Kolkata on Thursday night as Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders Shashi Panja and Kunal Ghosh began a dharna outside the Netaji Indoor Stadium. The two TMC leaders alleged irregularities inside the strong room where EVMs and postal ballots for the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections are secured. The protest came hours after exit poll predictions projected the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as the clear winner in the state, setting off a tense standoff between the ruling TMC and poll authorities.

There were speculations that West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee would also arrive outside the strong room, though the sources later denied Mamata's participation in the dharna. The TMC supporters shouted slogans as they protested against the electoral authorities, citing their allegations of irregularities. 

The TMC leadership, with counting still days away, expressed deep unease, alleging a lack of transparency in the handling of postal ballots at the strong room. The party leaders claimed that people were being allowed into the strong room without the presence of authorised representatives from all contesting parties, raising fears of manipulation.

The sit-in protest by the TMC senior leaders outside the stadium continued late into the night, drawing party workers and media crews to the site. The development injected fresh uncertainty into an already charged election atmosphere, as the TMC vowed to escalate its agitation if its concerns were not addressed. The gathering of party leaders outside the strong room stirred a massive political tension as the Election Commission prepares for the result day on May 4.

TMC Questions Transparency

Speaking to reporters at the protest site, TMC leader and state minister Shashi Panja criticised the process. “Who are the ones inside the strong room? One cannot go inside the strong room,” she said, demanding clarity on the identities of those present. Panja insisted that the party should be informed about activities within the facility, adding, “We should have information about what is happening inside the strong room... Something fishy is going on... There are loopholes in the system.”

Panja voiced concern that the absence of oversight could lead to manipulation. “We are concerned. There should be no manipulation. Why are we not being shown all of that?” she asked, questioning why live monitoring was not being made fully accessible to party agents.

Kunal Ghosh also supported her allegations, directly accusing the BJP of interference. “There is no transparency. They [BJP] are sending their people inside the strong room and tampering with the postal ballots,” Ghosh alleged. He confirmed that he and Panja were sitting in protest, and added that “the party will take further action regarding this incident.”

What Is TMC Alleging

The TMC leaders alleged that attempts were underway to open ballot boxes without representatives of all parties present, a move they asserted violated established protocol. The party maintained that such actions undermine the integrity of the electoral process, especially with exit polls already projecting a BJP victory.

Ghosh pointed to the Election Commission’s own CCTV and livestreaming feeds as evidence. “You can watch in the livestreaming and CCTV camera of the Election Commission that a few people are working inside. None of our representatives is inside,” he said. The TMC leader further questioned the instructions given to them by officials on the ground, saying, “They are not letting us in. They are asking us to speak with other candidates. Why should we take responsibility of other candidates?”

The TMC, which has ruled West Bengal since 2011, is expected to exit poll data suggested a possible end to its 15-year tenure in West Bengal. Meanwhile, the protest outside Netaji Indoor Stadium stretched into the night, and the TMC workers gathered in solidarity.