Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Communist Party of India (Marxist) General Secretary Mohammad Salim on Thursday criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over its manifesto for the West Bengal Assembly elections, while also making serious allegations regarding the use of money power in the electoral process.
Speaking in Kolkata, Salim claimed that the BJP’s initial manifesto did not receive a positive response, prompting the party to bring out an additional document. “They released the election manifesto two days ago, but it did not go well, so they have now issued a supplementary one,” he said.
He further drew a comparison with electoral procedures, raising concerns about voter-related transparency. “We were asking for the supplementary voter list to be released,” Salim added, suggesting that attention should be focused on electoral processes rather than revising political documents.
Reacting to the controversy surrounding a video released by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) allegedly involving Humayun Kabir, Salim broadened his criticism to both major parties in the state. He alleged that the issue highlights deeper concerns about the role of money in elections.
“During election season, certain opportunists emerge who devise schemes to monetise this concept. Yet, this situation serves as proof that the BJP possesses vast amounts of ‘black money,’” he said.
Salim further accused both the BJP and the ruling TMC of engaging in corrupt practices during elections. “Be it TMC or the BJP, both parties engage in the buying and selling of votes by distributing cash before the elections,” he alleged.
He described such practices as detrimental to democratic processes. “This is corrupt money; it is illicit wealth, and they are using it to play their political games,” he added.
At the same time, Salim expressed confidence in the electorate, stating that voters are aware of such tactics. “However, the people of Bengal are vigilant and are fully aware of the reality; otherwise, the political landscape would have shifted drastically long ago,” he said.
The remarks come amid an intensifying political battle in West Bengal, where parties including the BJP, the ruling Trinamool Congress led by Mamata Banerjee, and the Left-Congress alliance are engaged in aggressive campaigning ahead of the Assembly elections.
While the BJP has presented its manifesto as a roadmap for development and governance, opposition parties have continued to question both its promises and its political strategies.
Salim’s comments reflect the Left’s broader attempt to challenge both major political forces in the state, raising issues of transparency, electoral integrity, and the influence of money in politics as key concerns in the ongoing campaign.
