BLOs Should Serve Voters, Not Political Parties: BJP Leader Suvendu Adhikari P

PTI, November 23, 2025, Kolkata : Senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday urged booth-level officers (BLOs) in West Bengal to follow the directives of the Election Commission (EC) in letter and spirit, ensuring that not a single unauthorised voter is included in the draft rolls after the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise is completed.

Addressing a rally at Nandigram in Purba Medinipur, Adhikari referred to a "few BLOs" allegedly showing allegiance to the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and "trying to do things in favour of one political party".

He also extended support to the majority of BLOs working to meet the SIR deadline and accused the TMC of intimidating them by "peddling falsehoods about their reluctance to work".

"Not a single genuine citizen of the state, nor the BLOs or BLAs of political parties including the BJP, are apprehensive about SIR or fear being sent to detention camps as they see through the false narrative of Mamata Banerjee and her men," he said.

Adhikari reiterated that around one crore names of infiltrators would be deleted from the electoral rolls once the SIR exercise is completed.

He warned, "The infiltrator Bangladeshis, Rohingyas, should immediately run away from the country on their own before we have to detect and deport every one of you."

He further asserted that Indian citizens from all communities need not fear the SIR exercise, stating that only Bangladeshi Muslims and Rohingyas from Myanmar would be deported, while "those Hindus who crossed over from Bangladesh or Pakistan facing persecution will be granted citizenship under the CAA."

Debunking TMC Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s slogan ‘Dharmo jar jar, utsav sabar’ (religion has to be practised according to one’s own faith, but everyone will participate in a festival), Adhikari said, "We say every individual will celebrate their festival according to their faith. The state will not be part of the festival of any religion but will ensure everyone can observe it as per their belief."

In response, TMC IT cell in-charge and spokesperson Debangshu Bhattacharya said, “Adhikari is afflicted with one crore voter syndrome. Why does he keep repeating the figure at rallies? Or is he privy to any secret information from the EC even before the SIR is complete? Is there any pre-fixed target to suit the interest of BJP?"