TMC Steps Up Counting Day Preparations Amid Exit Poll Uncertainty

Amid a challenging narrative emerging from exit polls, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has stepped up its preparations in West Bengal ahead of Counting Day, focusing on organisational discipline and vigilance across all levels.

Party national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee is scheduled to convene a virtual meeting with counting agents and senior leaders on Saturday at 4 pm. The session is expected to serve both as a strategic briefing and a morale-building exercise, reinforcing the party’s message of patience, alertness, and procedural precision during the counting process.

According to party sources, the leadership is placing particular emphasis on ensuring that booth-level agents and counting representatives remain disciplined and attentive throughout the day. Banerjee has been closely involved in electoral planning and organisational coordination, including oversight of voter verification mechanisms, and has chaired multiple internal reviews in recent days to streamline district-level operations.

Earlier, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee issued a video message directing all party candidates to maintain strict vigilance over strong rooms where electronic voting machines (EVMs) are stored—underscoring the party’s focus on safeguarding electoral integrity.

Mamata Banerjee’s recent visit to the Bhabanipur counting centre, where she spent over three hours, has drawn mixed political reactions. Sukanta Majumdar criticised the move, suggesting it signalled a shift in her political posture. “This shows she has lost control and is behaving like an opposition leader. Her game is over,” he remarked.

TMC leaders, however, have rejected such criticism. Kunal Ghosh dismissed the opposition’s claims, asserting that their efforts would not succeed. “They are trying everything possible, but they will fail,” he said.

Within the party, Mamata Banerjee’s actions are being framed as consistent with her combative political style. Senior leaders describe her as a “street fighter,” suggesting that her presence at sensitive locations such as counting centres is intended to bolster organisational confidence and ensure administrative vigilance. Party insiders note that such direct intervention is relatively uncommon and reflects the leadership’s heightened focus at a crucial electoral moment.

The developments come at a pivotal juncture, as the TMC seeks to maintain internal cohesion and operational discipline in the face of uncertain electoral projections.