Bengal's post-poll drama: Strongroom row sparks firestorm | Capital Beat

“Why on earth was this strongroom opened?” is the question that dominated a heated panel discussion on Capital Beat as allegations of electoral irregularities rocked West Bengal just days before counting for its fiercely contested two-phase election.

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The controversy erupted after the state's ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) shared CCTV footage claiming unauthorised access to a strongroom in Kolkata.

In this episode, The Federal spoke with Shikha Mukherjee, senior journalist and political commentator; and with spokespersons of the TMC and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shubhankar Bhattacharya and Charles Nandy, respectively, to unpack the claims, counterclaims, and the deepening trust deficit around the electoral process.

CCTV controversy

The row began after the TMC alleged that CCTV footage from Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Indoor Stadium in the state capital showed ballot boxes were being accessed by suspicious people inside a strongroom without the presence of party representatives. The footage triggered protests and a political showdown, with even Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visiting the site.

According to the allegations, the strongroom — which stores ballot materials for seven North Kolkata assembly seats — was opened before the counting day, raising questions about protocol violations.

Calling the official explanation given on the matter "bizarre", Mukherjee said, “The CEO has said there was no electricity in the strong room, which is absurd. How can a strong room in Kolkata not have electricity?”

Rules questioned

She also pointed out that electoral guidelines require strongrooms to remain sealed and secured till the counting takes place. “Why did they have to open a strongroom to sort postal ballots? Once ballots go in, you are not supposed to do anything,” she said.

Also read: Bengal poll row deepens with EVM complaints; how was it possible despite record forces?

The Election Commission’s explanation — that officials entered to sort postal ballots using torchlight due to a power issue — failed to convince critics. Mukhejee said Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal needed to give better explanations.

BJP denies

Nandy strongly rejected the allegations, insisting that no irregularity occurred. “First thing is that the strong room was not open. This is absolutely wrong,” he said.

The BJP spokesperson also denied that his party's representatives were present inside the strongroom. “No BJP officials were there inside the strong room. You cannot enter,” he asserted.

He accused Mamata of creating a narrative in anticipation of defeat. “She is keeping her script ready. After May 4, she will say BJP has stolen votes,” Nandy claimed.

TMC counters

Raising questions about security and accountability, Bhattacharya asked, “If not the BJP, how did the Election Commission allow this to happen?”

He reiterated that once the electronic voting machines (EVMs) and ballots are sealed, strongrooms should not be opened until the counting day. “Why were the lights off? Why was access allowed? These are basic questions,” he said.

Bhattacharya also suggested that the burden of proof lies with the authorities. “It is up to the Election Commission to come and explain,” he added, while maintaining that concerns raised by the TMC were valid.

Trust deficit

The debate soon widened into a larger discussion about trust in the electoral process. Mukherjee argued that the controversy is part of a broader pattern.

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“There was no trust to begin with,” she said, pointing to previous allegations of voter list manipulation, disenfranchisement, and EVM tampering.

She noted that concerns around electoral integrity have persisted for years. “This narrative has been in the public domain for at least five to seven years,” she said, referring to repeated claims of vote manipulation.

Exit poll doubts

The panel also touched upon scepticism surrounding the exit polls, particularly remarks by pollster Pradeep Gupta suggesting voters were too intimidated to speak.

Mukherjee dismissed the claim outright. “People are talking everywhere — on the streets, in markets, in gatherings. This is a culture that talks,” she said.

She questioned the logic behind the argument. “If people can come out and vote, how can they be too scared to speak?” she asked.

Rising tensions

Overall, political tensions are only rising in Bengal ahead of May 4. Protests by TMC leaders and the CM's urgent visit to the site of alleged tampering of the ballot boxes underscore the seriousness of the allegations.

At the same time, the BJP has maintained that the controversy is politically motivated and aimed at discrediting the electoral process.

Also read: Mamata on exit polls: ‘BJP’s final game to reassure share market; keep calm’

The lack of a clear and convincing explanation from the poll body has further fueled speculation and suspicion.

'Election created a sense of rage'

No consensus could be reached at the end.

While Nandy reiterated that no malpractice occurred and dismissed all allegations of electoral malpractices, Bhattacharya said unanswered questions persist and demanded accountability from the commission.

Mukherjee summed up the situation as one marked by deep mistrust. “This election has created not just distrust but a sense of rage,” she said.

Now, to what extent could that rage go? Only May 4 has an answer.

The content above has been transcribed from video using a fine-tuned AI model. To ensure accuracy, quality, and editorial integrity, we employ a Human-In-The-Loop (HITL) process. While AI assists in creating the initial draft, our experienced editorial team carefully reviews, edits, and refines the content before publication. At The Federal, we combine the efficiency of AI with the expertise of human editors to deliver reliable and insightful journalism.