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Mamata Banerjee alleges BJP cherry-picked officers to delay flight; cites Sunday Jhargram landing denial
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP of cherry-picking officers to delay her flight, claiming a 30-minute runway wait. She referenced a Sunday incident where Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and his wife were denied permission to land in Jhargram amid Prime Minister Modi's unscheduled stop, and criticized central agencies and the military's involvement in elections. She urged voters to back the AITC, pressed for unbiased administration, and questioned Modi's promises and the use of media and delimitation to secure a majority.
Why It Matters
The statements underscore the high-stakes climate surrounding Bengal's assembly elections, including accusations of bureaucratic manipulation and security apparatus deployment in electoral politics.
Timeline
9 Events
Election schedule reiterated
April 21, 2026
The article reiterates that Bengal assembly elections are scheduled for April 23 and 29, with results expected on May 4.
AITC endorsement and candidate mention; call to safeguard EVMs
April 21, 2026
Banerjee urged voters to support the AITC, named Devdeep Purohit from Khardaha, and asked voters to ensure EVMs are thoroughly checked and counted carefully.
Administration urged to act without bias; accusations of political interference
April 21, 2026
She urged the administration to work without bias and criticized the use of central agencies to influence elections.
Critique of Modi’s job promises and RBI data cited
April 21, 2026
Banerjee questioned the claim of 24 crore jobs, arguing that many promises have not materialized and citing RBI data as evidence of government failure.
Delimitation, Women’s Reservation Bill remarks and Doordarshan use
April 21, 2026
She linked the Women's Reservation Bill to delimitation and accused Prime Minister Modi of misusing Doordarshan for political campaigning, claiming the government has not delivered on promises such as 24 crore jobs or ₹15 lakh per person.
Banerjee questions military deployment in Bengal for polls
April 21, 2026
Banerjee criticised the deployment of the military in the state for elections, questioning why meetings with the military are held for electoral purposes and implying a political use of security forces.
Election timeline noted: Bengal assembly elections; dates and counting
April 21, 2026
The article notes that West Bengal's assembly elections are due on April 23 and April 29, with results to be announced on May 4.
Banerjee claims officers were cherry-picked to delay flight; 30-minute runway wait alleged
April 21, 2026
Banerjee alleged that officers were cherry-picked to delay her flight and that her aircraft was kept waiting on the runway for about 30 minutes. She said a 'big BJP leader' was assigned poll duties to create problems and suggested that permissions were obtained with BJP approval beforehand.
Hemant Soren and Kalpana Soren allegedly denied helicopter landing in Jhargram; forced to return to Ranchi
April 19, 2026
Banerjee said Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and his wife Kalpana Soren were forced to fly back to Ranchi after permission to land their helicopter in West Bengal's Jhargram was denied, in the context of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's unscheduled stop in the state.