Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee launched a scathing attack on Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar on Friday, January 3, 2026. He accused the Election Commission of India of facilitating the wrongful deletion of voters' names from the electoral rolls.
'Vanish Kumar' Jibe and Demonetisation Comparison
In a sharp verbal assault, Banerjee sarcastically referred to CEC Gyanesh Kumar as 'Vanish Kumar'. He alleged that the ongoing Special Summary Revision (SSR) of electoral rolls was causing legitimate voters to mysteriously disappear from the lists. Drawing a parallel to a controversial past policy, Banerjee likened the SSR exercise to the 2016 demonetisation drive.
He claimed that, much like demonetisation, the current voter list revision was misleading the public and causing widespread inconvenience. The TMC leader accused the Narendra Modi-led central government of being behind this alleged manipulation, suggesting it was a tactic to influence electoral outcomes.
Fiery Rhetoric Against BJP Parliamentarians
Extending his criticism beyond the Election Commission, Abhishek Banerjee turned his focus to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members of Parliament. In his address, he used strong language to describe them, terming the BJP MPs as 'snakes'. This remark underscores the heightened political tensions in West Bengal, where the TMC and BJP are locked in a fierce and ongoing rivalry.
Banerjee's comments are seen as a direct response to the BJP's persistent allegations against the TMC government in the state. By using such provocative metaphors, the TMC leader aimed to galvanize his party's support base and draw national attention to the issue of voter list revisions.
Context and Political Implications
The allegations made on January 3, 2026, come at a critical juncture in Indian politics. The integrity of electoral rolls is a foundational element of democratic elections, and any controversy surrounding it is bound to have significant repercussions. Banerjee's speech is likely intended to put the Election Commission on the defensive and build a narrative of institutional bias ahead of future elections.
This incident adds another chapter to the volatile political discourse in West Bengal. It signals that the TMC plans to aggressively challenge both the BJP and central institutions on issues of federal overreach and electoral fairness. The fallout from these serious accusations could influence public perception and set the tone for upcoming political battles in the state and nationally.
