In Bengal, TMC lags behind BJP in number of BLAs, Opp says ruling party relying on BLOs | Kolkata News

The BLA, an agent appointed by a political party to work directly with the Election Commission’s Booth Level Officer (BLO), is the foot soldier of the electoral process, crucial during activities like the SIR of electoral rolls. Their role is to verify voter data, report discrepancies like dead or shifted voters, and safeguard their party’s interests at the grassroots.

Surprisingly, the Opposition BJP currently leads the pack, demonstrating a significant focus on organisational depth at the booth level.

The gap between the Opposition BJP and the ruling TMC, despite the latter’s dominant political footprint, has fueled speculation.

BJP leader Rahul Sinha said that the TMC’s low BLA count was related to their unwillingness to fully support the SIR process.

“The TMC never wanted the SIR. So naturally, they didn’t field enough BLAs. They have workers and organization. If they wanted, they could have given BLAs everywhere. It is their strategy not to field BLOs everywhere. In fact, there are BLOs, who are distributing the SIR form from the party office. The Election Commission must take stringent action against such people. As far as the BJP is concerned. There are several minority pockets where we don’t have workers on the ground. Even if there are one or two, they wouldn’t like to identify themselves as the BJP’s BLA for obvious reasons,” Sinha told The Indian Express.

CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty said that TMC’s low BLA numbers are because of their “over-reliance on official BLOs”.

“The chief minister (Mamata Banerjee) had earlier said that till she was alive, she would not let SIR take place in the state. Now, she has realised there is no other way. As far as BLAs are concerned, the TMC feels BLOs are their own party workers. So, there is no need for any additional person as BLA. With this thought, they don’t feel the need to add more BLAs. But if this is found to be true on the ground, it is going to be a tough time for the BLOs,” the CPI(M) leader said.

The TMC, on the other hand, said that the data shared by EC is old.

“The BJP has not been able to deploy BLAs in a majority of booths because they have no organisation or workers there. Their leaders themselves are aware of that. The Congress exists in a few pockets only in districts like Malda, Murshidabad, and some others. The CPI(M) has lost most of its cadre to the BJP. In my home constituency in Jadavpur, the BLO was accompanied by the TMC and CPIM BLAs. The BJP BLA was absent. It is because there are no BJP workers here. We have given BLAs in all booths.”