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While the TMC has questioned Ajay Pal Sharma’s professional neutrality, the BJP has defended the officer’s actions
Khan (R) accused the IPS officer of overstepping his constitutional mandate as a neutral observer to act as a ‘BJP agent’. Image/X
In the high-stakes theatre of the West Bengal assembly elections, a cinematic showdown emerged between the state’s ruling party and the Election Commission’s enforcement wing a day ahead of the second round of polling. Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate Jahangir Khan has sparked a viral row after a confrontation with Uttar Pradesh-cadre IPS officer Ajay Pal Sharma, declaring, “This is Bengal; if he is ‘Singham’, I am ‘Pushpa’.” The verbal volley follows a stern warning issued by Sharma, the appointed police observer for South 24 Parganas, against alleged voter intimidation in the Falta constituency.
The ‘Singham’ Warning in Falta
The controversy ignited on Tuesday, after a video surfaced showing IPS Ajay Pal Sharma—frequently dubbed the “Singham” of UP for his tough-on-crime reputation—visiting the residence and election office of Jahangir Khan. Accompanied by a massive contingent of central paramilitary forces, Sharma was seen delivering a blunt message to the candidate’s family and staff.
According to reports, the Election Commission acted on specific complaints alleging that Khan’s associates were forcibly collecting voter identity cards and threatening local electors. In the viral footage, Sharma warned that the administration would “deal properly” with troublemakers, adding a chilling caveat: “Don’t cry or regret it then.” The visit, conducted with armoured vehicles and a list of identified “miscreants,” was ostensibly part of a broader crackdown to ensure a free and fair phase 2 polling.
The ‘Pushpa’ Defiance: ‘Jhukega Nahi’
Responding to what he termed “illegal intimidation”, Jahangir Khan invoked the defiant spirit of the Telugu blockbuster Pushpa. Khan accused the IPS officer of overstepping his constitutional mandate as a neutral observer to act as a “BJP agent”. He argued that there is no provision in the ECI guidelines allowing an observer to enter a candidate’s private residence to issue threats.
“If he is Singham, then I am Pushpa. Jhukega Nahi (I will not bow down),” Khan told reporters, doubling down on his resistance. He further quoted the classic Sholay, stating that in his dictionary, “fear” does not exist. The TMC has formally objected to Sharma’s conduct, with senior state ministers like Chandrima Bhattacharya questioning whether a police observer is authorised to conduct late-night raids and issue verbal warnings without presenting concrete evidence of wrongdoing.
Escalating Political Fallout
The “Singham vs Pushpa” face-off has quickly escalated into a wider political battle. TMC MP Mahua Moitra joined the fray on social media, sharing archived videos of the officer and questioning his professional neutrality. Conversely, the BJP has defended the officer’s actions, stating that the public will resist if they are prevented from voting and that the Election Commission is the final authority on the legality of the observer’s methods.
April 29, 2026, 00:06 IST
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