Abhishek Banerjee calls CEC Gyanesh Kumar ‘Vanish Kumar’, slams SIR at Alipurduar rally
Telegraph | 3 January 2026
Senior Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday took a sharp swipe at Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, calling him “Vanish Kumar” over alleged illegitimate deletions of voters during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal, and likened BJP MPs to “snakes” that would eventually turn on those who voted for them.
Addressing a rally in Alipurduar in north Bengal — considered a BJP stronghold — Banerjee was speaking at the second of his 26 scheduled public meetings as part of his 19-day statewide campaign, ‘Abar Jitbe Bangla’ (Bengal will win again), intensifying the TMC’s offensive against both the Election Commission and the BJP ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
Training his attack on the poll panel over the SIR exercise, Banerjee alleged that the names of eligible voters were being arbitrarily deleted from the electoral rolls.
“Do you know Gyanesh Kumar? He is a magician. He can make living beings disappear from voter lists and make the dead walk. He is now ‘Vanish Kumar’,” the TMC national general secretary said.
He claimed that party leaders had approached the Election Commission’s office in Delhi seeking clarity and transparency on the revision process.
“We asked them to provide information, to make everything public. But now magic is happening. Living citizens are vanishing,” he alleged.
Drawing a parallel between the SIR exercise and demonetisation, Banerjee accused the Narendra Modi government of deceiving people.
“Ten years ago, people were made to stand in queues after being shown dreams. The amount of black money has increased since then. Ten years later, people are again being made to stand in lines. Earlier, people chose the government. Now the government wants to decide who will be a voter,” the TMC MP alleged.
Launching a blistering attack on the BJP, the Lok Sabha MP cautioned voters against placing their trust in the saffron party.
“BJP MPs and snakes are the same. Leave one or two snakes behind your house, a snake will always remain a snake. It will drink milk and have bananas provided by you, but still bite you,” he said.
The Alipurduar Lok Sabha constituency has been represented by BJP MPs since 2019.
“This time, do not rear snakes. Give TMC a chance. If we fail to work for you, remove us next time,” he added.
Calling on voters to turn out in large numbers, Banerjee urged them to use electronic voting machines to “teach a lesson” to those he accused of weakening democratic rights.
“Those who want to change the Constitution will eventually be removed from power,” he said.
Describing Alipurduar — where the BJP has made notable inroads since 2019 — as central to the TMC’s revival plans in north Bengal, Banerjee underscored the importance of a clean sweep.
“This time, Alipurduar must take the lead. TMC must win in all booths. Not a single booth can be left,” he said.
He also accused the BJP of attempting to roll back welfare schemes in West Bengal, particularly Lakshmir Bhandar, a direct benefit transfer programme for women, and warned voters of an attack on their rights.
“If you do not strike back now, they will try to take away your voting rights,” he claimed, describing the 2026 elections as decisive.
Expanding his criticism beyond the state, Banerjee also targeted BJP-ruled states, referring to recent deaths allegedly caused by “toxic” drinking water in Madhya Pradesh.
“Those who cannot provide drinking water, will they give you a roof over your head?” he asked.