As political temperatures rise ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections, ABP Anand has gauged public opinion on key issues dominating the headlines through a series of questions posed on social media platforms including Facebook, YouTube, X, Instagram and Threads. The responses offer a snapshot of what viewers are thinking on contentious political debates, electoral expectations and the conduct of polls.
‘SIR’ Controversy
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has once again stirred debate by alleging irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, claiming that “the living are being shown as dead” and that the app used was developed by the BJP’s IT cell. She has also renewed her attack on the Election Commission over the issue.
ABP Anand asked respondents whether they found substance in the Trinamool Congress’s allegations. The social media poll showed that 22 per cent agreed with the allegations, while 72 per cent rejected them. Six per cent said they could not say.
On the Suman De YouTube channel, where 601 responses were recorded to the same question, 29 per cent said yes, 66 per cent said no, and 5 per cent said they did not know or could not comment.
Little Support For Abhishek Banerjee
From a rally in Birbhum, Trinamool Congress All India General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee set a target of winning 250 seats in the next Assembly election and called for making the district BJP-free. The BJP countered the claim, with Union Minister of State for Education and BJP MP Sukanta Majumdar asserting that the Trinamool Congress would not even cross 50 seats in the 2026 polls.
When ABP Anand asked whether Abhishek Banerjee’s target could be achieved, only 6 per cent of respondents said yes. As many as 93 per cent said no, while 1 per cent were undecided.
On the Suman De YouTube channel, 441 responses were received to this question. Thirteen per cent believed the target was achievable, 85 per cent disagreed, and 1 per cent said they could not say.
How Many Phases Should Bengal Polls Have?
With speculation mounting over the timing and structure of the Assembly elections, ABP Anand also asked viewers how many phases the polls should be held in. The question assumes significance amid discussions on central force deployment and election management.
Across platforms, 57 per cent of respondents favoured conducting elections in two to three phases. Twelve per cent preferred three to four phases, while 30 per cent supported the previous model of seven to eight phases. One per cent said they could not say.
On the Suman De YouTube channel, of the 451 responses received, 44 per cent supported two to three phases, 16 per cent opted for three to four phases, 36 per cent favoured seven to eight phases, and 5 per cent were undecided.