Kolkata: The air in Jadavpur is thick with anticipation and a sharp, partisan edge as West Bengal inches toward the May 4 counting day. Veteran CPI(M) leader and Jadavpur candidate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya did not just dismiss the exit polls—he dismantled the ruling party’s decade-long reputation for dominance with a scathing, arrogant confidence.
“Let us wait till the fourth and see what happens,” Bhattacharya told reporters, a smirk playing on his face. “Her (Mamata Banerjee’s) frustration is obvious because her goons were not able to have a free hand this time.”
Mamata’s ‘Goon’ Monopoly Broken?
For Bhattacharya, the story of this election isn’t just about votes; it’s about the collapse of a “control room” culture. He alleged that since the TMC took power in 2011, elections in Bengal have followed a predictable, dark script.
“Till today, the elections have been controlled by TMC goons,” he claimed. “Usually, after 11 a.m., all the booths were taken over by them. They used to control everything. But this time? They failed. And that is exactly where Mamata’s frustration and fear are coming from.”
CPIM Leader Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya open up about Polling Booth Reality
CPIM Jadavpur candidate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya explains the fundamental shift in West Bengal’s electoral landscape, claiming that the “goon culture” which allegedly monopolized booths since 2011 has finally been dismantled. By asserting that the TMC’s habitual mid-morning takeover of polling stations failed this time, he frames Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s current political posture not as confidence, but as “frustration and fear.”
Central to this shift, in his view, was a rejuvenated state police force that—emboldened by the presence of central forces—finally fulfilled its “basic obligation” to maintain order. His defense of the central forces’ conduct serves as a sharp rebuttal to the ruling party’s narrative, painting a picture of an election where institutional courage finally overrode local muscle power.
“…Let us wait till the fourth and see what happens. Her (West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee) frustration is obvious because her goons were not able to have a free hand this time. Since 2011 onwards, till today, the elections have been controlled by TMC goons. After 11 a.m., all the booths were taken over by them, these goons, and they used to control.
Now this time they failed and that’s the frustration and fear of Mamta…This time, the Police had discharged their basic obligation and probably they got the courage since the central force was over there. I didn’t find that the central force acted in any objectionable manner…”
#WATCH | Kolkata | On exit polls for West Bengal Assembly Elections, Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, CPI(M) candidate for the Jadavpur Assembly constituency, says, "…Let us wait till the fourth and see what happens. Her (West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee) frustration is obvious… pic.twitter.com/EXRy2HZZj1
— ANI (@ANI) April 30, 2026
Police ‘Find Their Spine’
In a rare move for a Left leader, Bhattacharya offered a backhanded compliment to the state’s law enforcement, suggesting that the presence of Central Forces finally allowed local police to act like a neutral body.
“This time, the Police discharged their basic obligation,” he noted dryly. “Probably they got the courage since the central force was over there. I didn’t find that the central force acted in any objectionable manner.”
Mamata the Queen of Goons – The Ground Reality
Across Kolkata, the sentiment remains divided. While TMC loyalists dismiss Bhattacharya’s remarks as the “last gasps of a dying Left,” the ground reality in constituencies like Jadavpur suggests a much tighter leash on local strongmen than in previous years.
As the mercury rises in Bengal, so does the political temperature. If Bhattacharya’s “arrogant” prediction holds true, May 4 won’t just be a change in numbers—it will be a verdict on whether the “muscle power” that once defined Bengal’s booths has finally met its match.
CAPF in West Bengal for free and fair elections
He laid bare the ground reality in West Bengal, noting that the deployment of central forces enabled voters to reach polling booths without fear and cast their votes for the state’s future.
According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), 500 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) were stationed across West Bengal and continued to be deployed for post-poll law and order duties even after the results were declared. Sensitive booths, including those in remote areas, were secured by CAPF personnel to assist the ECI in ensuring free and fair elections.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said that central forces would remain in West Bengal for an additional 60 days after the conclusion of the Assembly elections.
