West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari addresses a press conference at Nabanna in Howrah district of West Bengal on Friday, May 15, 2026.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Refuting allegations of post-poll violence, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Friday (May 15, 2026) said he will ensure the safe return of people who fled their homes. However, he added that if any of them were found to be involved in the violence against BJP workers after the 2021 Assembly election, they would land in prison.
In 2021, there had been allegations of widespread attacks on BJP workers after the Trinamool Congress won that year’s election, trouncing the BJP.
Mr. Adhikari’s assurance came on the floor of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly while he was responding to the allegations made by the Leader of Opposition and Trinamool Congress MLA, Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay.
“The BJP has promised that bhoy (fear) will disappear and there will be bhorsa (faith). Fear is prevailing in the State. Several people have been forced to flee their homes. We are able to hear footsteps of fascism,” the Leader of Opposition said.
Uproar in Assembly
The remark by Mr. Chattopadhyay created an uproar in the House. Members from the Treasury benches raised their voices and tried to drown out his speech. Following this, the Chief Minister intervened and said the veteran Trinamool MLA should be allowed to speak.
“I am not aware of anyone who has fled homes after the election. But if there are any such persons, please send details to the Director General of Police. The only condition is that there should be no allegation of post-poll violence against the person after the 2021 Assembly election,” the Chief Minister said. The local MLA and Superintendent of Police (SP) will ensure the safe return of all those who were not involved in any violence, he reiterated.
The Chief Minister said there were 12,000 first information reports (FIRs) relating to post-poll violence in West Bengal in 2021. The Trinamool had won that year’s Assembly election, securing 215 seats, while the BJP got only 77. The BJP had alleged that its workers were at the receiving end of the violence that broke out after that election.
Indian Secular Front MLA Nawsad Siddique also recalled the violence after the 2021 election and expressed the hope that the new government would prevent such incidents.
Court intervenes
After the Trinamool lost to the BJP in the 2026 Assembly election, the party has alleged that its supporters were being targeted. Trinamool chairperson Mamata Banerjee appeared before the Calcutta High Court on Thursday (May 14, 2026) on the issue.
A Division Bench of Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Partha Sarathi Sen directed the West Bengal Police to ensure that if “any citizen irrespective of his/her party affiliation is illegally thrown out of his shop/house/property etc. due to post-poll violence, he/she shall be given a safe return to his shop/house/property etc”. Both the Trinamool Congress and the BJP have claimed that their supporters were killed in the violence.
The first day of proceedings of the 18th West Bengal Legislative Assembly on Friday (May 15, 2026) witnessed slogans of Bharat Mata Ki Jai and Jai Shri Ram being raised by members from the Treasury benches. The Trinamool legislators briefly boycotted the proceedings only to join after a few minutes.
The BJP had won 207 seats in the 294-member House, while the Trinamool tally was reduced to 80 in the recently concluded Assembly polls.
Published – May 15, 2026 10:05 pm IST
