The 2026 West Bengal Assembly Election campaign has hit a new controversy following Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari’s bold claim that the BJP will win no less than 177 seats. Speaking at a rally on Wednesday (March 25, 2026), Adhikari linked this figure to the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists, claiming that over 7.9 million ‘fake’ voters—mostly TMC supporters—have been purged from the rolls.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) was quick to react, with MP Saayoni Ghosh and senior leaders questioning the source of Adhikari’s specific confidence. “How can he be so sure about the number 177 even before a single vote is cast? Have they already made arrangements to hack the EVMs?” the TMC questioned. The ruling party alleged that Adhikari’s statement is a pre-emptive psychological move to justify potential electoral fraud or EVM manipulation.

TMC leaders pointed out that while Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is fighting against the mass deletion of names from voter lists, the BJP’s celebration over these deletions proves a “nexus” between the opposition and certain administrative bodies. This “177 vs EVM Hack” debate has now become a central narrative in the 2026 battle, with the TMC demanding higher transparency from the Election Commission to ensure that the “will of the people” is not bypassed by technical or administrative “wickedness.”