'Special trains from Surat-Bengal transporting voters': O'Brien writes to CEO
What's the story
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of violating election laws by arranging special trains to ferry voters from Surat to West Bengal. TMC MP Derek O'Brien wrote a letter to the Election Commission of India (ECI), alleging that this was a tactic by the BJP to influence electoral outcomes. He said that the Indian Railways, which functions under the administrative control of the Union government, "cannot be deployed, directly or indirectly, for partisan electoral purposes."
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Read letter here
TMC MP Derek O'Brien wrote to the Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal, alleging that the BJP arranged special trains from Surat to transport voters, violating election laws. The letter claims this amounts to bribery and undue influence, and seeks action, including notices, case… pic.twitter.com/nDti2t4dOg
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) April 22, 2026
Allegations detailed
Attach links to social media posts, news articles as evidence
In his letter, O'Brien attached links to social media posts and news articles as evidence of the alleged violations. One post by Sudhanidhi Bandyopadhyay showed a train leaving Surat with migrant workers from Bengal. The post read, "BJP's Special Trains from Surat to Bengal has now departed." Other videos showed BJP workers seeing off passengers, waving the party flag while chanting "Jai Shri Ram" and "Bharat Mata Ki Jai."
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Video allegedly showing special train departing Surat
Just two days ago, migrant workers from Bihar were struggling to board train outside Surat railway station in Gujarat, and the BJP did nothing.
— Veena Jain (@Vtxt21) April 21, 2026
But now, the same BJP has arranged special train from Surat to Kolkata for Bengal workers, for votes.
Only elections matter to the… pic.twitter.com/huN7ut0a6P
TMC
'Such acts confer an undue advantage'
"The involvement by BJP, in arranging such transport at the cost of public exchequer, raises a serious apprehension of misuse of official position and access to State-controlled resources," the Rajya Sabha MP wrote. "Even if BJP has undertaken the cost factor, even then such free services is barred by extant instructions of the Election Commission of India. Such acts of the BJP confer an undue advantage in the electoral process and thereby violate the principle of a level playing field."
Call for intervention
TMC urges ECI to take action against BJP
The TMC alleges that these arrangements amount to "bribery" and "corrupt practices," violating the principle of a level playing field in elections. The TMC has urged the ECI to take action against the BJP and its leaders. They have also asked the commission to mandate that all expenses incurred on these "special trains" be included in election expense accounts of concerned candidates. The first phase of West Bengal Assembly elections is scheduled for Thursday, with results due on May 4.