A vote for BJP will bring back CPM’s terror days: Abhishek
The Statesman | 23 April 2026
Trinamul Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday invoked “CPM’s terror days” in Bhatar, warning that a vote for the BJP would revive similar conditions.
Addressing an election rally at Alinagar Stadium in support of TMC’s Bhatar candidate Shantanu Konar, Mr Banerjee spoke with Sagari Mallick, widow of Toton Mallick. Toton Mallick was killed in a CPI-M bomb attack during the 10 January, 2010 school managing committee election at Bonpash Railway Station Shiksha Niketan. Sagari, now employed at a cooperative society, told Mr Banerjee that she struggles to run her household on a low income. He assured her that he would “arrange something” for her.
Speaking to the gathering, Mr Banerjee said that Bhatar’s BJP candidate Soumen Karfa had links to the CPI-M. “CPM sent him. So, one vote for the BJP means bringing back CPM’s terror-filled black days,” he said. He further alleged that CPI-M “harmads” across all 16 gram panchayats in Bhatar had switched allegiance to the BJP, urging voters to ensure that their deposits were forfeited.
Referring to Shantanu Konar, Mr Banerjee said, “He has worked with me for a long time. He is a tested organiser and a capable politician.” He appealed to voters to secure a victory margin of 40,000 votes.
Mr Banerjee highlighted the TMC government’s initiatives in Bhatar since 2011, including the establishment of a degree college, a Kisan Mandi, road development under the Pathashree scheme, and the implementation of welfare schemes such as Lakshmir Bhandar, Yuva Sathi and Krishak Bandhu. He also promised that, if elected, Mr Konar would begin work on a cold storage facility for farmers in Bhatar within three months, addressing a key local demand.
Attack on BJP
In a sharp attack, Mr Banerjee said, “No gentleman or educated person joins the BJP. Only thieves, fraudsters, cheats and miscreants go there.” He added that the BJP government had “made everyone stand in queue,” urging voters to respond by standing in line to vote. He asked the electorate to “press button No. 2” for Mr Konar and deliver a “strong democratic response” to the BJP and the CPI-M.
Also present at the meeting were Katwa TMC candidate and district party president Rabindranath Chattopadhyay, Mangalkot candidate and party chairman Apurba Chowdhury, and Kirti Azad, MP from Bardhaman-Durgapur.