Murshidabad: A large-scale return of migrant workers to West Bengal ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections is placing severe strain on transport systems while revealing deeper anxieties around voter identity, employment insecurity, and administrative preparedness.
While there are reports of special travel arrangements being facilitated for select groups of migrant workers—allegedly backed by networks linked to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)—thousands of others are making their way back to the state on their own, facing significant financial and logistical hardships. For these workers, the journey home is not just about participating in an election, but about ensuring their continued presence on the voter list.
Each year, thousands of workers from Bengal migrate to other states in search of livelihood, typically returning home during festivals like Eid or Durga Puja. Elections, historically, have not prompted such large-scale movement. This year, however, the pattern has shifted dramatically.
Following the completion of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, a widespread perception has taken hold among migrant workers that failing to vote could result in their names being removed from voter lists. This fear—whether fully grounded or amplified by circulating narratives—has triggered a surge in return travel from states such as Maharashtra, Kerala, Odisha, Gujarat, and Haryana, placing immense pressure on already stretched railway services.
Trains Hit Capacity as Expensive Private Travel Becomes the Norm
With train tickets largely unavailable, migrant workers are being forced to rely on alternative—and often more expensive—means of travel. Long-distance bus journeys, which are both time-consuming and physically exhausting, have become the primary fallback option.
Samshujoha Sarkar, a migrant worker from Sagarpara in Murshidabad, described the ordeal of returning home from Pune. Despite attempting to book train tickets a month in advance, he failed to secure a seat. Even boarding a general compartment proved impossible due to overcrowding.
Ultimately, he was forced to take a longer and more expensive route—travelling first to Odisha, then by bus to Kolkata, and finally onward to his village.
“For the past 15 years, I have been travelling between my workplace and home, but I have never faced such difficulties,” Sarkar said. “If I had managed to get a train, I could have reached home within a day. Instead, I had to take a longer route, which cost me around 6,000 rupees instead of the usual 2,000.”
Frustrated by the lack of arrangements, he asked: “Can’t the government arrange special trains for people like us?”
In major cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru, migrant workers employed as domestic helpers, cooks, and daily-wage labourers are undertaking similarly difficult journeys back to Bengal—often without any institutional support.
From Kerala to Bengal: Workers Endure High Costs to Reach Home
The surge is particularly visible in Kerala, where migrant workers form a crucial part of the labour force. In Thiruvananthapuram, tickets for trains bound for Bengal are completely sold out, with only those who booked well in advance able to travel.
Key services—including the Shalimar Superfast Express, Dibrugarh Vivek Express, TVC SCL Express, Gurudev Superfast Express, CBE SCL Superfast Express, and Aronai Express—are struggling to cope with the sudden spike in demand.
As waiting lists grow longer, many workers who initially considered skipping the vote are now turning to private transport. From parts of Ernakulam district—including Perumbavoor, Kothamangalam, and Muvattupuzha—several buses have already departed carrying workers back to West Bengal.
These journeys come at a steep cost. Passengers are paying between ₹4,000 and ₹6,000 per trip—₹4,000 for non-AC buses, ₹5,000 for AC buses, and ₹6,000 for sleeper coaches. Each bus is operated by two drivers to manage the long-distance travel, and many workers have already arranged return trips on the same buses after casting their votes.
“Our train tickets are unlikely to be confirmed. Even if we lose our jobs, we will still go back and vote,” said one worker travelling with his family.
Fears of Voter List Deletion Spark Panic at Major Stations
The impact of this return migration is also visible within West Bengal. For over a week, heavy crowds of returning workers have been witnessed at Sealdah Railway Station, particularly those boarding trains towards Lalgola and surrounding areas.
Reports that numerous names have already been removed from voter lists have intensified anxiety among residents.
Farid Sheikh, a resident of Lalgola, said: “The names of many people have been deleted from the voter lists. Casting a vote is crucial this time. Like many others, I am returning home because I fear that if I don’t vote, my name might be removed.”
Organisations working closely with migrant labourers note that while workers usually return home enthusiastically during festive seasons, elections have historically not drawn the same level of response. This year, however, the aftermath of the SIR appears to have altered behaviour significantly, turning voting into a perceived necessity rather than a routine civic exercise.
Mass Exodus Disrupts Local Industries and Small Businesses
The sudden movement of workers is also disrupting economic activity in sectors dependent on migrant labour. A shortage of LPG cylinders has further compounded the situation, affecting small-scale industries such as jewellery workshops.
One manufacturer, who employs dozens of artisans across multiple units, said operations have been severely impacted.
“This situation has arisen due to a shortage of LPG cylinders, making it increasingly difficult for business owners to sustain their work,” he said. “Around 40 artisans are employed in my units, and nearly half of them have already left. Many more are likely to follow.”
He added that, in the absence of train tickets, both employers and workers are being forced to arrange private bus transport.
“This time, the demand among workers to return home is largely driven by the issue of voter list revision,” he said.
For workers themselves, the decision carries both financial and emotional consequences.
Rabiul Sheikh from Shamsherganj said: “We go outside to earn because we have no choice. Now we are forced to return, losing wages and spending our savings just to protect our identity.”
Rajibul Mondal of Domkal, who returned from Kerala, added: “As long as the fear of exclusion from the voter list remains, democracy will be a ‘festival’ only in name.”
Migrants Decry Lack of Government Support for Returning Voters
Despite strong political messaging urging migrant workers to return and vote, many workers say that such appeals have not been matched by adequate logistical support for the majority.
While some groups are believed to be benefiting from organised travel arrangements, large sections of migrant workers—especially those in informal sectors—are left to fend for themselves, navigating expensive and uncertain travel options.
Rahul Chakraborty, Central Committee member of the Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR), criticised this gap.
“In the run-up to the Assembly elections, we are witnessing a surge in activity among migrant workers living outside the state,” he said. “Many are returning to Bengal—often at the cost of their livelihoods—solely to cast their votes.”
He added: “The panic created around the SIR has had a profound impact on them. The most concerning aspect is that the very government elected by their votes has not arranged special trains to bring them back.”
Voting Seen as an Essential Shield for Citizenship Status
Beyond logistics and economics, the current wave of migration reflects a deeper crisis—one rooted in the perceived link between voting and citizenship.
According to activists, many migrant workers now believe that failing to vote could not only result in deletion from voter lists but may also jeopardise their status as citizens.
Asif Faruk, State Secretary of the Migrant Workers’ Unity Forum (Parijaye Shramik Aikya Mancha), described the situation as a reflection of systemic insecurity.
“This rush of migrant workers—coming back solely to register their names on West Bengal’s voter list or to ensure their names remain on it—reflects a deep-seated sense of existential anxiety among ordinary people, as well as administrative failure,” he said.
“In the current political climate, having one’s name on the voter list has come to be seen as an indirect safeguard of citizenship,” Faruk added. “Following the SIR, a profound fear has taken root—that if they fail to vote even once, they may be labelled as ‘infiltrators’ or ‘missing voters’.”
He emphasised that this fear is not spontaneous, but shaped over time through political rhetoric and administrative complexity.
Social activist Abdul Gani echoed similar concerns: “The fact that people are travelling thousands of miles—driven solely by the fear of having their names struck off—just to cast their votes highlights serious concerns about institutional assurance. The Election Commission and administrative machinery have yet to inspire confidence among common people.”
Border Delays and High Fees Hamper the Final Journey Home
The journey back home has not been without further complications. Officials confirmed that several buses carrying migrant workers were detained at the Bengal–Odisha border, reportedly on grounds of overcrowding.
Private bus operators, who usually operate during festive seasons, report an unprecedented surge in demand. One operator said more than 100 buses have been deployed—far exceeding typical numbers during Eid or Durga Puja.
However, operators allege that they are facing additional challenges, including being forced to pay around ₹5,000 per trip at the border, cutting into their margins. Buses are also required to remain in Bengal for several days before making return trips.
Beyond the Ballot: A Fight for Recognition and Existence
What is unfolding across West Bengal is not merely a logistical challenge or a seasonal migration. It is a moment that exposes the fragile intersection of democracy, identity, and livelihood.
For thousands of migrant workers, the journey home is no longer just about participating in an election. It has become an act of safeguarding their presence—on paper and, by extension, in the nation itself.
In choosing to return—despite financial loss, physical hardship, and uncertainty—they are not just casting a vote. They are asserting their existence.
