Ticket rebellions, SIR voter churn add volatility to Bengal poll race

KOLKATA: (Mar 21) Open rebellions over ticket distribution across parties, combined with the SIR fallout, have added a fresh layer of uncertainty to West Bengal's political landscape, raising questions over cadre cohesion and electoral calculations ahead of the assembly polls.

Soon after candidate lists were announced, both the ruling TMC and the opposition BJP have witnessed protests, resignations, and resentment from cadres and leaders who have been denied tickets- a familiar feature of Bengal elections, but analysts say such resistance may carry greater electoral consequences this time.

The unrest has come at a politically sensitive moment as the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists has led to large-scale scrutiny and deletion of voter names, a development political observers believe could alter the electoral arithmetic in several closely contested seats.