Kolkata/Malda, March 5, 2026: In a sharp escalation of the ongoing row over electoral rolls in West Bengal, Congress leader Mausam Noor has written to Rahul Gandhi and the party's central leadership, urging a boycott of the upcoming 2026 Assembly elections unless the Election Commission (EC) resolves the status of nearly 60 lakh voters placed under "adjudication".
Noor, who rejoined the Congress from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in January 2026, described the move as "clear proof" of 'vote chori' (vote theft), arguing that it would effectively disenfranchise a large number of legitimate voters — particularly from minority communities in Congress strongholds.
Speaking in Malda on Wednesday, Noor said her party had formally informed Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, and West Bengal Congress president Shubhankar Sarkar about the demand. However, the central leadership reportedly called the boycott call "premature" and instead decided to launch a statewide agitation against the voter list starting March 5.
"If such a large number of voters cannot exercise their franchise, the election would be a farce," Noor told reporters. "I will appeal to Rahul Gandhi, party president Mallikarjun Kharge, PCC president Shubhankar Sarkar, and other senior leaders to boycott the polls. Without the participation of those voters under adjudication, the election would have no meaning."
In Malda district alone — which has a 52% Muslim population and is considered a Congress bastion — out of 29,86,203 electors, 8,28,080 (nearly 28%) have been marked "under adjudication". The percentages are strikingly higher in traditional Congress seats:
- Sujapur: 53.56% (1.3 lakh out of 2.5 lakh voters)
- Malatipur: 40.85%
- Mothabari: 40.59%
- Harishchandrapur: 36.43%
- Ratua: 36.99%
Noor and her cousin, Malda Dakshin MP and district Congress president Isha Khan Choudhury, alleged that the pattern is not random but "purposeful", targeting border districts with significant Muslim populations.
Isha Khan Choudhury echoed the charge: "Our neta Rahul Gandhi has been highlighting the ‘vote-chori’ issue for a long time. This list in Bengal, published by the EC, is clear proof of this... These voters are innocent and have no fault. The AI-governed system improvised by the EC cannot render bona fide Indian voters’ franchise uncertain."
The controversy erupted after the EC released the final electoral rolls on Saturday. Voters under adjudication will remain uncertain about their voting rights until their cases are cleared through a verification process.
Noor accused both the ruling TMC and the BJP of conspiring to polarise votes and sideline the Congress by targeting minority voters, claiming this undermines Bengal's secular tradition.
Reactions Pour In
TMC leaders hit back, accusing the Congress of opportunism. Malda district TMC president Abdur Rahim Boxi said: "Only Trinamool has been fighting tooth and nail against the BJP’s ploy. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee rushed to the Supreme Court to fight for the people. Where was the Congress when Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee were protesting against the SIR process?"
BJP leaders dismissed the boycott demand as a sign of weakness. Malda (South) BJP president Ajay Ganguly said: "They lack a minimum support base and do not want to face the elections. That is why they are exploring escape routes."
Another BJP leader, Amlan Bhaduri, pointed out that many deletions occurred in constituencies the BJP won in 2021 and accused Congress of "playing the Muslim card".
Congress leaders in Malda have announced protests and a door-to-door campaign to highlight the issue, with plans for larger demonstrations after Holi.
Mausam Noor's dramatic appeal comes at a time when the Congress is preparing to contest the 2026 West Bengal Assembly polls independently after its alliance with TMC broke down. The party won the Malda Dakshin Lok Sabha seat in 2024 but drew a blank in the 2021 Assembly polls in the region.
Whether the central Congress leadership will heed Noor's boycott call remains to be seen, but the development has intensified the national debate over electoral roll revisions and allegations of 'vote chori' that Rahul Gandhi has repeatedly raised in recent months.
For More News Updates Follow Us On www.tconews.in
