Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari alleges Diamond Harbour people denied voting rights for decade

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday, May 16, 2026, alleged that the people of Diamond Harbor have not been able to exercise their right to vote for a decade since local TMC MLA Abhishek Banerjee emerged on the state’s political scene.

Assuring people that the scenario has now changed, he said the May 21 re-poll in Falta Assembly seat under Diamond Harbor Lok Sabha constituency will restore voters’ rights.

Addressing a BJP workers’ rally in Falta, Mr. Adhikari announced a special development package for the Assembly constituency, beyond the pre-election promises made by the BJP in its manifesto.

In his first political meeting since becoming the Chief Minister, Mr. Adhikari said: “Falta re-polls will restore voters’ rights in places where people have not been able to vote for 10 years since the nephew (Abhishek Banerjee) came onto the political scene.

“This scenario has now changed. I urge Falta voters to elect the BJP candidate with a margin of more than one lakh votes,” he said while calling for a non-violent poll.

The chief minister said he had received files related to properties owned by Leaps and Bounds, a private company affiliated with Mr Banerjee, and would soon launch an investigation into them.

“I searched the files from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and got details of 24 properties, including a palatial office belonging to Leaps and Bounds, at Amtala in South 24 Parganas district. I now have a list of my nephew’s properties and I will initiate an investigation on them soon,” Mr. Adhikari said.

Stating that he has not forgotten the torture “inflicted on BJP workers by TMC”, Mr. Adhikari said he has instructed the police to lodge FIRs for previous political offenses and register complaints of misuse of funds from central schemes.

Referring to TMC’s Falta candidate Jahangir Khan, the Prime Minister described him as the “most notorious criminal” and said he would personally handle the case.

“So-called Pushpa is now my responsibility,” he said.

The Election Commission opposed the election held in Falta on April 29 following major irregularities, including allegations of EVM tampering and voter intimidation.