KMC polls 2026: BJP eyes 150 seats, Sukanta Majumdar announces 'chargesheet' strategy

The BJP is preparing to take on the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) elections with a strategy similar to the one it used during the Assembly polls, with Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar outlining an ambitious target for the party.

Majumdar, who has been given responsibility for the civic polls by the state BJP, said the party would issue a political 'chargesheet' against 130 Trinamool Congress councillors.

He alleged that several TMC councillors had amassed wealth and said a list detailing their alleged irregularities would be made public.

The BJP is also working on a standard operating procedure (SOP) for candidate selection, Majumdar said. Candidates with clean public images will be given priority, he added.

The BJP will contest the civic polls on its own, according to Majumdar. He claimed that based on the Assembly election results, the party is ahead in 110 of the KMC's existing 144 wards.

With the proposed delimitation expected to take the number of KMC wards beyond 200, the BJP has set a target of winning at least 150 seats, Majumdar said.

He added that the party was prepared to contest the elections whenever the State Election Commission announces them.

The remarks came on the day KMC Commissioner Smita Pandey held consultations with political parties over objections and suggestions regarding the draft ward delimitation proposal.

The Kalighat faction of the TMC raised concerns over the proposed increase in ward numbers, arguing that the civic body lacks the infrastructure required to support more than 200 wards.

Another TMC faction, led by Rituraj Banerjee, cited the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and said several people's names were still under consideration by tribunals.

The faction questioned the timing of the delimitation process. The Left and Congress also submitted their objections and suggestions on the proposed ward delimitation.