Story so far: “As BJP won today, let us talk about Badlav (change) and not Badla (revenge). Let us end this endless cycle of violence once and for all,” urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to BJP workers on May 4, 2026, after his party swept the West Bengal elections winning 207 of the 294 Assembly seats. However, his plea fell on deaf ears as 64 incidents of post-poll violence were witnessed between May 4 and May 7, as per data collated by independent conflict monitor — Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED). 

Notably, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was found to be perpetrator in 42 of these 64 incidents – vandalising Trinamool Congress (TMC) party offices, members’ houses, assaulting TMC members, supporters and counting agents. One incident of Muslim-owned shops being vandalised to loud cheers of ‘Jai Shree Ram’ was reported. Overall, 231 violent, poll-related incidents were reported between March 15 and May 7, when the Election Commission of India’s Model Code of conduct remained imposed in West Bengal. 139 incidents of peaceful demonstrations were also reported during that time – mostly involving protests against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), exclusion from electoral rolls. 

Compared to the past two Assembly polls (2016 and 2021) in the State, these polls have been less violent. As analysed in The Hindu’s previous stories, violent incidents accounted for 83.9% (172 of 205 cases) in 2016 and 78.53% (278 of 354 cases) in 2021. In comparison, only 62.43% (231 of the 370 cases) were violent in these polls. Peaceful protests against SIR and the 2400 companies of Central forces are major affecting factors in these polls.

Of the total incidents, TMC is involved in 106, BJP in 91, unidentified perpetrators in 41 and Central Forces in 14. These instances include clashes between TMC and BJP, attacks perpetrated by political parties against rivals, attacks by unidentified civilians and violent action of Central forces (CRPF/CAPF) on civilians and TMC members. Seven cases violence being averted by bomb diffusion or preventive arrests are also noted. 

Here’s a look at the party-wise split of violence

Trinamool

Upholding its rank as the most violent force in the State in the past decade, TMC is the perpetrator in the highest share of violent cases. Out of 106 incidents it is involved in, TMC is the perpetrator in 45 incidents - 20 against BJP, three against Congress and CPM each, four against civilians and fellow TMC factions each and nine against other party members.  

Thirteen fatalities were observed by ACLED of which three victims each were associated to TMC and BJP – often killed by the rival party’s supporters in post-result violence. Notably this also includes the fatal killing of new West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari’s personal aide Chandranath Rath by bike-borne assailants. One Congress person and three civilians have also died in clashes. In one instance, Central Forces allegedly pushed an elderly voter while controlling a violent situation and he died. 

Since 2016, Kolkata’s Beleghata has recorded the most number of violent incidents, averaging 24 incidents in all three poll years (2016, 2021 and 2026). A Trinamool fiefdom since 2011, Beleghata is followed by other TMC strongholds – South 24 Parganas’ Bhangar (10) North 24 Parganas’ Noapara (6) and newly BJP-flipped seats – Darjeeling’s Matigara-Naxalbari (9) and Asansol Dakshin (5).  On the other hand, TMC has been most at the receiving end of violence perptuated both by unidentified assailants (16) and Central forces (8).

BJP

As a rising force in State since 2018, BJP is quickly overtaking the TMC as West Bengal’s most violent party. Nearly equaling TMC this year, BJP was involved in 91 violent incidents of which it was the perpetrator in 49 cases. These cases include attacks on TMC leaders (12), civilians (3), rival BJP factions (3), security personnel (2) and other political parties (4). BJP was also involved in 25 cases of property destruction, mostly TMC party offices. On May 4, when results were announced, BJP vandalised 14 TMC party offices and a car and a shop of a TMC member, paying no heed to Mr. Modi’s plea. On the next day, BJP supporters vandalised Russian revolutionary Vladimir Lenin’s statue in Jiaganj, Murshidabad.

Through the years, the State has held polls in multiple phases – violence peaking on days of voting and counting day recording the most. However, with SIR and publishing of new electoral rolls and subsequent supplementary rolls, violence peaked on April 2 (16 incidents) as tribunals began hearing appeals against deletion of 63 lakh voters and 24 lakh voters placed under adjudication. While violence also flared on voting days – April 23 (24) and April 29 (13), most number of incidents were recorded on result day May 4 (29). 

While dissatisfied voters burnt tyres and blocked roads on April 2 while protesting against the mass deletion of voters due to SIR, TMC and BJP clashed on phase-1 voting day (April 23). By April 29 (second phase voting day), the Central forces deployed to oversee law and order in the State had risen to 2.4 lakh personnel. On that day, Central forces were involved in six of the 13 violent incidents, TMC and BJP were involved in three incidents and unknown civilians were involved in four incidents including one stone-pelting incident against Central forces.

Violence by Central forces

Citing a need to curb poll violence, the Centre has been increasing deployment of Central forces between 2016 and 2026. Hiking personnel strength from 500-600 companies in 2016 to 925 companies in 2021, Centre deployed 2400 companies this year with 700 CAPF companies remaining in West Bengal for sixty days after results were announced.

While these polls were less violent compared to 2021, Central forces emerged as a violent group being the perpetrator in 13 instances of violence. Of these eight incidents were against civilians including an assault on an off-duty military officer and his wife for parking near a polling booth and baton-charging voters at  election centres. While five cases of violence by Central forces against TMC members were reported, none were reported against BJP.