Mamata Banerjee Warns of Possible Midnight Raids and Arrests Bengal Polls Campaign Heats Up

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday expressed deep apprehension over potential midnight raids and arrests by central agencies, claiming they could target her party workers in the dead of night as polling draws near. Speaking at an election rally in Khandaghosh in East Burdwan district, Banerjee linked her fears directly to fresh action by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which has issued summons to 43 senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders and grassroots workers from Nandigram Block-1 in connection with a two-year-old blast case. 

“Starting as early as Sunday night…” Banerjee warned of arrests, framing it as part of a larger strategy by the BJP-led central forces to disrupt the ruling party's campaign machinery just days before the state Assembly elections. Banerjee urged her cadre to stay vigilant and not be intimidated, stating that such “operations” were expected in the run-up to polling.

“Many of you will be detained and arrested before the polls. These operations will start tonight. Do not be intimidated… Be vigilant for another 15-21 days; then we will see, we will fight, and we will win again…it’s just a matter of few more days. After elections everything will be fine…we will win and we will come back,” Banerjee told the gathering. She highlighted that with the Election Commission now overseeing the administration, the state government’s hands were tied, and accused the opposition BJP of resorting to harassment tactics because it feared defeat at the hustings. Her remarks came against the backdrop of widespread administrative transfers and alleged attempts to create fear among voters.

Sources close to the party say the timing of the summons - requiring the workers to appear at the NIA’s Kolkata office on April 17 - has raised serious concerns about selective targeting and possible pre-poll harassment.

“They can come at midnight with raids and arrests. We have seen this pattern before. The people of Bengal will not tolerate such undemocratic moves.” She urged supporters to stay vigilant and stand united against what she described as “a conspiracy to create fear and disrupt our campaign machinery.” Party insiders interpret her remarks as a direct response to the NIA notices, which they claim are being revived at a politically sensitive moment despite the case dating back to 2024.

The NIA action pertains to an alleged crude bomb explosion in Nandigram during 2024, an area that has long been a political flashpoint and a stronghold for both the TMC and its principal rival, the BJP. The summons have been sent to a mix of local TMC office-bearers and active campaigners, many of whom are actively involved in booth-level preparations for the upcoming polls. Opposition leaders, however, have dismissed the TMC’s outrage, insisting that the agency is simply doing its job and that no one is above the law.