Sharpening the BJP’s attack on the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday (March 28, 2026) released a “charge sheet” against the Mamata Banerjee-led regime, accusing it of ignoring illegal infiltration and women’s safety, corruption, and a deterioration in law and order.

Emphasising that illegal infiltration through the borders of the State has become a matter of national concern, Mr. Shah claimed that the upcoming election for the West Bengal Legislative Assembly is crucial to the security of the country as a whole.

“Due to appeasement and vote-bank politics of the TMC government, the security of the Siliguri corridor is being threatened,” the Home Minister said, addressing a press conference in Siliguri. The crucial corridor is a narrow strip of land in West Bengal linking the north east to the rest of India.

Land needed for border fencing

Mr. Shah said that infiltration has resulted in artificial demographic change which can only be stopped if the BJP comes to power. He also complained about the 600 km of unfenced borders with Bangladesh and the challenges of securing land under the Trinamool regime.

“On May 6, the BJP government will be formed in West Bengal, and within 45 days, the land required for fencing the border will be provided by the Bengal BJP government to the Centre, and we will stop infiltration,” he said. The senior BJP leader said that his party was “committed to identifying and deporting every infiltrator”.

Referring to the Chief Minister’s repeated attacks against the Election Commission of India, Mr. Shah said, “Mamata Didi has always played the politics of victim card”. He added: “Sometimes she talks about her injury, sometimes she abuses the Election Commission. But the people of Bengal now understand Mamata Didi’s victim-card politics very well.”

Electoral journey

Tracing the BJP’s electoral journey in West Bengal, Mr. Shah said that the party’s vote share had grown from 10% to 38%, and from three seats in the 2016 Assembly polls to 77 seats in the 2021 polls. This clearly indicates that the BJP will form the government this time, he said. “This election in Bengal is about rejecting the fear created by the TMC, embracing the trust of the BJP, and joining the country’s development journey,” he said.

The BJP has announced candidates for 275 out of 294 Assembly seats so far. The most significant choices are Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, who is contesting from Bhabanipur against Ms. Banerjee, and the mother of the doctor who was raped and killed at R.G. Kar Hospital and Medical College in August 2024, who is contesting from Nandigram.

Though the party is yet to release its manifesto for the polls, BJP candidates have released their charge sheets against Trinamool MLAs locally.

Bengali vs Bangladeshi

During the press conference, Mr. Shah defended the actions of the Election Commission of India (ECI) which has transferred over 50 officials after the model code of conduct came into force.

“Across the country, the Election Commission transfers officers ahead of polls. This is nothing new. But in West Bengal, most officers work for the government. That is why there have been more changes here,” the Home Minister said, claiming that the transfer of officers had resulted in fewer incidents of violence during Ram Navami celebrations this year.

The Trinamool Congress leadership held its own press conference to counter Mr. Shah’s charges, asking why despite being in power at the Centre, the Home Ministry completely failed to identify and deport illegal immigrants. “They want to blur the line between Bengali and Bangladeshi so they can import their hateful Assam-style detention camp model into Bengal,” the Trinamool Congress posted on social media.

West Bengal goes to the polls in two phases on April 23 and April 29. The votes will be counted on May 4.