The Trinamool Congress (TMC) accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of setting fire to a party office in Siliguri on Tuesday.
The incident occurs amid the counting process for the 2026 West Bengal Assembly election, raising concerns about political instability and retaliatory violence during a critical democratic transition.
TMC officials described the arson as post-poll violence intended to intimidate party workers. The party shared video footage of the incident to support its claims that the BJP orchestrated the attack. The TMC further alleged that the violence extended beyond Siliguri to other areas, including Murshidabad.
The BJP denied any involvement in the attack. Party representatives said the allegations were unfounded and suggested that the violence may have been caused by internal TMC factions.
The unrest coincides with the Election Commission of India's counting process for 293 seats [2] in the state's legislative assembly, which consists of 294 total seats [1]. The TMC has questioned the presence and effectiveness of central forces in preventing such clashes.
This clash in Siliguri is part of a broader pattern of accusations between the two parties. The TMC has reported the vandalizing of offices, and the assault of workers following their victory in the state. The BJP maintains that these accusations are part of a political narrative to deflect from other issues.
“TMC accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of setting fire to a TMC office in Siliguri.”
The reports of arson and violence during the counting phase indicate a volatile security environment in West Bengal. Because these events are occurring while the official results for 293 seats are being tallied, the tension underscores the deep polarization between the TMC and BJP, where electoral victory is often followed by claims of systemic intimidation and street-level conflict.
