Sourav Ganguly to join politics before West Bengal Elections 2026? Dada clarifies

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly on Tuesday firmly denied rumours suggesting he is set to enter politics ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections in West Bengal.

Speculation had been rife on social media about a possible association with the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC). However, when ET Online reached out, Ganguly’s office dismissed the claims outright.

“The rumours of Sourav Ganguly joining any political party are completely baseless. These are false rumours. Sourav Ganguly is not joining any political party,” his office said.


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2026 Election Preparations Intensify in West Bengal

Meanwhile, poll-bound West Bengal is gearing up for the Assembly elections scheduled in two phases on April 23 and April 29, with counting of votes set for May 4.

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Election Commission of India Introduces Layered Surveillance

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has rolled out a multi-layered surveillance system to monitor electoral officers and ensure adherence to guidelines during polling.

District-level control rooms will function from the offices of District Magistrates, who also serve as District Electoral Officers, overseeing activities at booth and polling station levels.

Central Monitoring from Kolkata and Ground-Level Oversight

A second level of monitoring will be conducted through an integrated control room at the Chief Electoral Officer’s office in Kolkata, tracking complaint redressal and field responses.

Additionally, constituency-specific observers will supervise polling across all 294 Assembly seats, while district-level central observers will ensure broader oversight.

West Bengal Elections 2026: CAPF Deployment to Be Controlled by ECI Observers

The ECI has also revised the protocol for deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF). This time, decisions regarding movement of central forces will be taken by ECI-appointed police observers rather than district authorities.

Over 2,300 CAPF companies are expected to be deployed in each phase to maintain law and order.

Bengal Elections: Focus on Peaceful and Transparent Polling

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has assured that the elections will be conducted in a peaceful and violence-free manner, with enhanced monitoring and strict enforcement mechanisms in place.

Inputs from agencies