Congress Mocks Bengal BJP Chief for Demanding Padma Bhushan for CEC Gyanesh Kumar

A sharp political duel erupted between the Indian National Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday, September 26, 2026, following West Bengal BJP President Shamik Bhattacharya’s public demand to confer the prestigious Padma Bhushan upon Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. Praising the poll panel chief for overseeing violence-free polling and expelling alleged Bangladeshi infiltrators from state voter rolls, Bhattacharya’s remarks drew swift, biting sarcasm from the opposition. Ridiculing the proposed civilian honor, senior Congress leader Pawan Khera retorted that if the ruling party believes Kumar holds the power to shape governments and decide who leads the nation, conferring a Padma Bhushan is an understatement—the BJP should simply swear him in as Prime Minister instead.'Make the Kingmaker PM': Pawan Khera’s Sharp Retort to Shamik BhattacharyaAddressing media personnel in New Delhi, Pawan Khera escalated the opposition's continuous campaign against Nirvachan Sadan’s administrative conduct:Sarcastic Counter-Attack: Khera asserted that honoring the CEC with the country’s third-highest civilian award undervalues his alleged role in determining election outcomes, mockingly stating, "The Padma Bhushan is a very small thing, just make him Prime Minister. Make the person who can make others Prime Minister. Gyanesh Babu should be made Prime Minister."Intensifying Electoral Scrutiny: The comments arrive amidst nationwide demonstrations led by opposition parties challenging the Commission's handling of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral lists.Allegations of Unilateral Action: Opposition leaders have referenced recent investigative reports claiming that several major directives, including large-scale voter deletions across states, proceeded despite written objections submitted by two fellow Election Commissioners, though the Commission maintains that these differences represented constructive internal suggestions rather than formal vetoes.The Bengal Context: Bhattacharya Credits CEC for Curbs on Infiltration and ViolenceThe controversy began during Shamik Bhattacharya’s media interaction at Panihati in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, where the state BJP president vigorously defended the poll body’s performance:Restoring Free Polling: Bhattacharya maintained that the electorate of West Bengal has finally witnessed polling free from fear, systemic intimidation, and recurring electoral fatalities that historically marred regional voting days.Purge of Infiltrators from Rolls: The BJP leader specifically praised Gyanesh Kumar for launching targeted administrative checks to excise names of undocumented foreign nationals and Bangladeshi infiltrators from the border state’s draft voter rolls.Justifying National Honors: Contending that the state's residents are grateful for transparent election management, Bhattacharya argued that the CEC’s resolute stance in sanitizing electoral records made him fully deserving of the Padma Bhushan, a stance that has now deepened the political divide over poll administration.