'Fear, intimidation and...': Sanjay Raut slams Trump’s Bengal election congratulations to Modi

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on May 8 wrote to Donald Trump after the US President congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP over the West Bengal Assembly election results. 

Sharing the letter on social media platform X (formally twitter), Raut said the elections were an “internal matter of India’s federal democracy” and described any external endorsement as “premature and misplaced”. 

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In his post, the Rajya Sabha MP raised concerns over the conduct of the elections, alleging that there was an atmosphere of “fear, intimidation, and systemic pressure” during the poll process. He also claimed there were widespread perceptions that the Election Commission had not functioned impartially and that its actions appeared to favour the BJP. 

Raut further questioned the deployment of central forces during the elections, alleging that their presence created “coercion rather than confidence” among voters. 

Referring to concerns raised by Mamata Banerjee and other opposition leaders, Raut said doubts over the fairness of the electoral process reflected a “broader unease” that could not be ignored. 

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“Democracy is not just about elections — it is about ensuring they are free, fair, and credible. When serious allegations arise, they warrant scrutiny, not celebration,” Raut wrote in the letter. 

He also questioned whether these concerns had been taken into account before Trump’s congratulatory remarks and urged the US President to adopt what he called a “more informed and balanced view” of the situation. 

The letter comes amid an escalating political battle over the West Bengal election outcome, with opposition parties alleging misuse of institutions and state machinery, charges that the BJP has dismissed as baseless and politically motivated. 

Trump had earlier congratulated Modi on what the White House described as a “historic and decisive” victory in West Bengal, where the BJP registered a major breakthrough by wresting power from the Trinamool Congress. 

White House spokesperson Kush Desai also said that during a phone conversation last month, Trump expressed his admiration for Modi and remarked that India was “lucky” to have him as its leader. 

The BJP’s victory in West Bengal marks the end of the 15-year rule of the Trinamool Congress government led by Mamata Banerjee, making it one of the party’s most significant electoral wins in eastern India.