Alleging a “BJP-EC nexus” behind the deletion of 63.66 lakh names from West Bengal’s electoral rolls following the SIR exercise, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday claimed that BJP leaders ensured that 10,000 to 30,000 voters’ names were deleted from Assembly constituencies where her party, the Trinamool Congress (TMC), won in the last Assembly elections.Addressing a Holi Milan gathering at Kolkata’s Netaji Indoor Stadium, the TMC supremo alleged that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise was designed to help the BJP in the 2026 Assembly elections.“Names have been deliberately deleted with the use of AI. I know the BJP leaders who have ensured that 10,000 to 30,000 voters are deleted from constituencies where the TMC won. I am giving you the example of my constituency, Bhawanipore. In Bhawanipore, 2.6 lakh voters were there. Previously, you [EC] excluded 44,000 voters. This time, you deleted 2,000 voters and put 14,000 under logical discrepancy. Why are these voters missing?.. But let me tell you, I will win from Bhawanipore even if there is only one voter left on the voters’ list. I have faith in God. I respect all communities, castes, and religions,” the TMC supremo said.Read | EC to visit West Bengal next week, set stage for poll announcementThe CM, who inaugurated a 45-km-long Kalyani Expressway on Monday, said she has tried to provide happiness to every community by building temples, allocating land formosques and gurdwaras, and Jain temples.“But I am sad today. 1.2 crore people of Bengal are on the verge of losing their voting rights. A person died yesterday after he found his name in the under-adjudication category. That person submitted his passport and other certificates. His family has also voted. It has been seen that in one family, the name of the wife is deleted while the name of the husband is on the voters’ list. Do you know why? Women shift to their husbands’ homes, and that’s why their names are getting deleted. Do you think this should be a criterion for voting rights,” she asked.Accusing the EC of deleting genuine voters’ names, she hit out at the BJP government at the Centre and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, saying, “After living in India for so many years, we have to consider ourselves not as Indian citizens. Do you think this is proper? Is it not an injustice to people? I am not talking about any particular community or religion. Each and every genuine elector of this country has the moral right to be a voter. But this biased Government of India and the EC want to erase people from the voters’ list with the help of Vanish Kumar.”Read | Bengal electoral list: ‘Voter purge conspiracy’ versus ‘dirty politics’, political slugfest begins“The Constitution is in crisis. The democratic rights of the people are in danger. I condemn this. I am feeling the pain of the sufferers,” she added.Story continues below this adSlamming the BJP for taking “Rath Yatras in 5-star vehicles”, the TMC chief said, “This Rath Yatra will politically be BJP’s last journey.”She said that she would continue to raise her voice against SIR and urged people to support her March 6 dharna. “Give me the moral support to fight for the people. I have struggled all my life. I am ready to die struggling for the people. You can terrify anyone, but not us. You don’t have faith in the people. You only have faith in your agencies. That is why you take away the rights of the people.”She then added, “Justice is crying silently. But humanity will defeat inhumanity. I will pray to God. Everyone needs to stay well. The world will cease to exist if all of us don’t stay well. We don’t divide and discriminate; we unite people. That is our tradition and heritage. We will not bow down in front of any evil force. I will follow the advice of Swamiji, Gandhiji, and other visionaries of our nation.”Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain. Experience Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express. Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news. Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions. Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal. Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla. Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent. Education Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting. Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University. Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur. Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Mamata Banerjee