Thousands of Bengali Migrants Leave Surat on ‘Vote Special’ Trains Ahead of Bengal Polls

Surat: Thousands of Bengali migrant workers living in Surat have begun returning to West Bengal on special trains to participate in the second phase of the Assembly elections, with around 4,000 people departing from Udhana Railway Station in a single day.

The large-scale movement follows an earlier departure on April 24, when nearly 1,300 voters travelled on a “Santragachi Special” train. Railway officials have reported a significant surge in passenger traffic at Udhana station due to the ongoing election-linked travel.

Many of the returning workers said they were keen to exercise their voting rights and expressed a desire for political change in their home state. Several migrants cited a lack of industrial growth and employment opportunities in West Bengal as the primary reason for relocating to Gujarat for work.

Some workers also voiced support for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), hoping for development along the lines of Gujarat’s industrial model. Migrants employed in Surat’s textile and diamond sectors highlighted the challenges of living away from their families in search of livelihoods.
Sanju Sarkar, a migrant worker who moved to Surat in 2019, said the absence of industries and business opportunities in West Bengal forced many like him to migrate. He added that better opportunities in their home state could reduce the need for such migration.

With thousands returning to vote, migrant workers are expected to play a notable role in shaping the electoral outcome in West Bengal, particularly in constituencies with high outbound migration. DeshGujarat