West Bengal election polls were once again marred by violence and clashes between political workers across a number of districts. In one of the more dramatic events, Suvendu Sarkar, the BJP candidate for Kumarganj, South Dinajpur, was reported to have been attacked and chased by TMC workers while he was out campaigning.
One video of the incident went viral on social media, showing a man running from a group of men through a field while being protected by a security officer. The video illustrates the chaos and madness of the situation in West Bengal’s election polls, as the group attempted to chase Sarkar down. At one point, a person caught Suvendu Sarkar and was about to throw punches at him when the security officer intervened on his behalf.
VIDEO | West Bengal election: BJP candidate from South Dinajpur manhandled allegedly by TMC workers even as a security person tries to protect him. #AssemblyPollsWithPTI #WestBengalPollsWithPTI
(Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/NeCAxYA08p
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) April 23, 2026
Suvendu Sarkar: West Bengal Polls turn tense as BJP candidate chased and attacked
As the affray continued, onlookers began arriving at the scene and temporarily overwhelmed Suvendu Sarkar, before he was rescued. There was no clear motive for this attack, but the videos of the incident certainly raise alarm regarding the safety and law and order situation in the state during the upcoming West Bengal elections.
Reacting to the incident, BJP candidate from Siliguri, Sankar Ghosh, blamed the ruling TMC for the violence. He said the party was reacting out of fear of losing power. “From the morning, what we have seen is that gradually time is running out and Trinamool also understand that they are going to be out of power. So they are trying to make some kind of nuisance here and there,” he said.
West Bengal Polls see multiple violence claims across districts
In another incident connected to the elections in West Bengal, Humayun Kabir, the leader of the Aam Janata Unnayan Party, claimed that he had been attacked by supporters of the Trinamool Congress party in Murshidabad. The assault occurred when he went to visit the Nowda region after hearing of a crude bomb incident there.
There were additional crude bombs thrown in Nowda late on Wednesday evening, causing even more anxiety just one day before the elections. Kabir stated, “The public will answer TMC for this; TMC will stop their goonda ism as of 4 May 2026. I was unexpectedly hit. My team collected to take action, and the police very violently intervened. I believe Additional SP Majeed Khan should be removed from office for what he did to my people; he is a criminal and a TMC broker.”
West Bengal elections continue to raised discussions regarding the law and order
Continued violence leading up to the West Bengal elections has prompted discussions about the security measures being taken and what role law enforcement will play in ensuring candidate and voter safety in sensitive districts.
Sankar Ghosh responded to Kabir’s allegations and connected them to a broader pattern. He stated that the Election Commission has a role to play in these incidents, including Suvendu Sarkar being attacked and Humayun Kabir’s convoy being attacked. When this happens people will do everything possible to make sure that TMC does not return to power, and thus they will vote for the new government and we are confident that the BJP will form the new government.
Political rivalries continue to escalate in West Bengal Elections
As the West Bengal elections move forward, it illustrates how intense political rivalries are in the state, regularly spilling into the streets. With many parties to contend, the competition will ultimately come down to TMC and BJP.
Currently, there is no information about what started these incidents, but from viewing the materials and public statements by party leaders, we can see that there is a high level of tension. As voting will continue and we focus on secure polling to prevent any further escalation during the West Bengal elections.
Khalid Qasid is a media enthusiast with a strong interest in documentary filmmaking. He holds a Master’s degree in Convergent Journalism from AJK MCRC. He has also written extensively on esports at Sportsdunia. Currently, he covers world and general news at NewsX Digital.
