In a fresh twist after the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections on April 23, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee declared that she would be filing a "legal case" against Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his "violent remarks".
"As Home Minister, he cannot make such comments," she said in a rally at Hooghly, targeting Shah over his warnings to TMC workers after the first phase of polling in the state.
In a speech at Arambagh, Shah had issued a stern warning to the TMC's "goons", declaring that they would be hung upside down if they caused trouble on April 29.
"I'm warning Didi's goons not to step out of their homes on the 29th. If the people of Arambagh are troubled on the 29th, after (May 5), we'll hang them upside down and straighten them out," Shah said.
🗣️ Home Minister Amit Shah issues a STRONG WARNING: “Didi’s goons should not step out on the 29th.”
— Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) April 23, 2026
“If people of Arambagh are troubled, they will be hung upside down and set straight after the 5th.” pic.twitter.com/me23B8m9uG
CM Banerjee hit out at Shah for these comments, claiming that such a "forceful approach" would never win them the elections.
"What kind of language is the Home Minister using? To say you will hang people upside down post-election is unacceptable," she said.
Notably, despite the record voter turnout of 92.35 per cent in the first phase, instances of violence were also observed in certain pockets across the state.
While Naoda in the Murshidabad district saw Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) founder Humayun Kabir’s car vandalised during stone pelting between TMC and AJUP workers, Domkal saw CPI(M) supporters allegedly threatened with firearms by the TMC.
In Dakshin Dinajpur, the BJP's Kumargunj candidate Suvendu Sarkar was allegedly manhandled by TMC supporters—despite the presence of one security officer—and was seen running through fields to protect himself.
