BJP's Suvendu urges EC not to club 2026 Bengal polls with other states; slams TMC for violence

Kolkata: Senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on Friday urged the Election Commission not to club the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections with other states, alleging a "climate of terror" created by the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC).

Addressing a press conference here, the Leader of Opposition accused TMC-backed miscreants of attacking BJP workers and supporters while they were on their way to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally in Alipurduar on Thursday.

Trinamool-backed goons vandalised 34 vehicles and injured 22 BJP workers to prevent them from reaching the PM's rally, he claimed.

"The language used by Trinamool leaders against the PM is threatening and undemocratic. Under such circumstances, free and fair elections are not possible in West Bengal," Adhikari claimed, urging the EC to avoid clubbing the state's polls with those in Assam, Bihar or Kerala. West Bengal is scheduled to go to the polls in 2026.

Turning to economic issues, the senior BJP leader slammed the state government over rising electricity tariffs.

He cited a recent incident in Siliguri where a businessman allegedly confronted the CM about soaring power bills, only to be dismissed without a proper response.

"Domestic power rates have gone up manifold since 2011. Commercial users now pay around Rs 12 per unit and industrial users shell out as high as Rs 16 per unit," he claimed.

Adhikari also came down heavily on the forced rollout of smart electricity meters in several urban areas, including Barasat, Rajarhat, Dum Dum, and Barrackpore.

"According to the Electricity Act and related regulations, smart meter installation is optional, not mandatory. Yet, people are being coerced into accepting them," he said.

He also alleged that certain political leaders are receiving commissions from private agencies involved in the installation of smart meters and claimed that the gadgets effectively charge users for 13 months instead of 12 — an allegation he did not substantiate further.

Highlighting the issue of illegal power connections in areas like Mominpur and Garden Reach in Kolkata, Adhikari said, "These zones operate outside the legal framework — no trade licenses, no taxes, no electricity bills — and officials are afraid to enter these localities." He demanded that the government crack down on power theft before burdening law-abiding citizens with costly smart meters.

"We will organise public meetings and awareness drives to inform consumers that they can say no to smart meters. BJP MLAs will raise the issue in the Assembly," Adhikari added.