With an overnight rain wreaking havoc in Kolkata and its suburbs, Opposition parties in West Bengal on Tuesday targeted the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government over poor flood preparations, alleging that inefficiency and mismanagement of the state agencies and departments were to be blamed for the deaths of several people in the wake of flooding.

The ruling Trinamool Congress hit back, accusing the BJP-led Central government of not dredging the large rivers in the state, a factor it cited as the reason behind the flood-like situation.

Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari wrote on X, “Death procession in the flooded city! Dead bodies floating in the frozen water, it’s heartbreaking to see this scene… But who is responsible for this misery? Kolkata-Salt Lake submerged in one night of rain! The city is floating, the city dwellers are in danger, and the office commuters are in extreme distress. Today, when technology is so advanced that we can predict when and how much rain will fall, the city dwellers have to suffer the consequences of the inefficiency and indifference of the mayors of Kolkata and Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation.”

He added, “They have not learned any lessons from previous experiences, repeating the same picture year after year! The fault of the electricity department is absolutely grave. Where are the officials? Why has no action been taken regarding this danger of exposed wires? Seven innocent people have died till now. This is not your failure, this is a crime, who should be found guilty and given appropriate punishment. There is no end to the suffering of people due to this mismanagement for years. How much longer will this anarchy continue?”

Union minister and former BJP state president Sukanta Majumder said, “I am deeply saddened by the tragic death of several people due to electrocution in Kolkata and its surrounding areas. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased in this time of grief. I appeal to the state government to immediately provide all necessary assistance to the affected families. I also appeal to the power distribution company to immediately disconnect power in the flooded areas and conduct rescue operations in cooperation with the administration. I also request the Kolkata Municipal Corporation to take quick and effective steps to drain the accumulated water.”

He urged the state administration to “take swift and wartime measures to ensure the safety of the people”.

The BJP wrote in an X post, “See the condition of Kolkata around Science City. This is one of the state’s highly acclaimed and posh regions that houses a few organizations. If such is the condition of civil lives, how can anyone think about living a sustainable life in Kolkata? How can any organization further have the intent to invest? This is a breakdown of civil order.”

The CPI(M) and the Congress also criticised the Trinamool-led state government.

Former state Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, “The Chief Minister is always ready to blame others or nature in any situation. The weather department had alerted in advance but the state machinery was not prepared. Who will take the responsibility?”

CPI(M) leader Srijan Bhattacharya said, “Somebody has to take responsibility for this situation in Kolkata. Why has the drainage in Kolkata turned so poor? Our volunteers are working tirelessly for people. Anybody can contact them in an emergency.”

State finance minister Chandrima Bhattacharya was quick to respond, blaming an “unusual cloudburst” and accused the BJP of ignoring scientific realities. “Yesterday, Kolkata faced the fury of a rare cloudburst. Nearly 300 mm of rain fell within hours, a scale that overwhelms any city, no matter its infrastructure… Yet what does BJP do? They ignore science, they ignore compassion, they ignore climate realities,” she posted on X.

Her fellow minister Shashi Panja wrote on X, “Amid calamity, leadership is measured in compassion and action. @BJP4India offers neither. Instead, they mock Bengal while their own governments fail their people year after year at the first sign of heavy rain. Empathy? That’s beyond their vocabulary.”