Kolkata, October 31, 2025 – Trinamool Congress (TMC) National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee has unveiled what he calls the "SIR strategy" to party workers, referring to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls as "Silent Invisible Rigging". In a virtual meeting held on Friday, Banerjee addressed nearly 18,000 TMC functionaries, outlining the party's approach to the voter list revision process currently underway in West Bengal.
Banerjee has strongly criticized the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), alleging that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is using the process to manipulate electoral rolls ahead of the 2026 Assembly polls. He characterized the coming months as an "acid test" for the party and accused the BJP of orchestrating the revision to exclude genuine voters. "The BJP's goal is not to identify infiltrators... This is a political operation aimed at deleting genuine voters," Banerjee stated. The BJP has refuted these allegations, dismissing them as baseless and accusing the TMC of politicizing a routine administrative exercise.
The TMC's strategy, according to Banerjee, involves maintaining constant vigilance during the SIR process. He directed party workers to closely monitor Booth Level Officers (BLOs), insisting that "not a single BLO should be left unattended for even a minute". To ensure transparency, Banerjee ordered Booth Level Agents (BLAs) to appoint BLA-2s in each district to accompany BLOs during door-to-door verification. "BLA-2 will act as a shadow companion to the BLO," he explained, emphasizing the need to prevent any unfair deletion of names. The deadline for submitting forms is set for November 3rd.
As part of the SIR strategy, the TMC will launch 6,200 voter-assistance camps across the state starting November 4th. These camps, equipped with laptops, printers, and Wi-Fi, will operate from 9 am to 5 pm for a month, assisting residents with verifying names, submitting claims and objections, and reporting irregularities.
Banerjee also announced the establishment of 294 "war rooms" across West Bengal, one for each Assembly constituency. These war rooms will be supervised by local Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), or block presidents in constituencies without an MLA. Each war room will be equipped with laptops, internet connections, and tech-savvy volunteers to ensure smooth communication and data management.
Accusing the BJP of attempting to divide Bengal and disenfranchise minorities, Matuas, and poor voters, Banerjee urged party workers to convey a clear message that the TMC stands firmly with the people. He also mentioned plans for district visits to personally oversee the campaign.
Banerjee has also raised concerns about the mental health impact of the voter list revision, citing instances of suicides allegedly linked to panic over potential exclusions from the rolls. He has warned that if any eligible voter's name is eliminated, a large-scale protest will be organized outside the Election Commission office in New Delhi. Despite his objections, Banerjee has expressed confidence that the TMC will emerge stronger, increasing its seat tally in the upcoming election.
The Election Commission's special drive to update and correct electoral rolls will continue until early next year. The TMC's leadership is mobilizing its extensive organizational network to ensure that no eligible voter is left behind.
