BJP vs TMC: Bitter face-off over voter turnout data ahead of phase 2 of Bengal assembly elections
The Statesman | 24 April 2026
A war of words broke out between the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Derek O’Brien and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Amit Malviya, with both sides trading sharp claims over voter turnout ahead of the next phase of polling.
In a sharp attack, the BJP leader said, “Come 5th May, you will find yourself out of a job,” and predicted that the April 29 phase would bring a “saffron tsunami.”
The exchange began after Derek accused the BJP of spreading “fake narratives” around Phase 1 polling data. In a post on X, he cited figures comparing the 2021 elections and the current cycle, arguing that while the turnout percentage in 2026 was higher, the total number of votes cast had marginally declined.
According to Derek, the total electorate in 2021 stood at 3.67 crore, with 84% turnout translating to 3.10 crore votes. In 2026, following a revision exercise, the electorate reduced to 3.33 crore, with a turnout of 92.7%, resulting in 3.09 crore votes cast. He said this meant that despite higher turnout, the total votes had decreased by 83,674, calling the difference “negligible” and attributing the higher percentage turnout to a reduced voter base.
Responding sharply, Malviya rejected the claims and said the total number of electors in Phase 1 was 3.6 crore, not 3.33 crore. He argued that 92.7% turnout of 3.6 crore amounts to 3.33 crore votes, which, according to him, reflects an increase of 20-25 lakh votes compared to 2021.
Malviya credited the surge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call of “Bhoy Out, Bhorsa In,” claiming voters came out fearlessly, particularly in areas previously affected by intimidation from TMC strongmen. He also highlighted increased polling in constituencies such as Cooch Behar, Maldah Uttar, Asansol and Birbhum.
As the political rhetoric intensifies, both parties are now looking to the second phase of polling on April 29, with Malviya asserting that it would pave the way for a decisive outcome on May 4.