Prime Minister Narendra Modi kickstarted the BJP’s Lok Sabha campaign in West Bengal from Hooghly’s Arambag last week, with Sandeshkhali as the focal point. This strategic rally unveiled the party’s roadmap for the upcoming years, emphasising key themes that will shape Bengal’s political landscape. The BJP’s game plan centres around consolidating Hindu support to challenge Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress. PM Modi’s address on Sandeshkhali underscored this crucial focus, aiming to corner the incumbent CM.
The party intends to aggressively promote its welfare schemes as a countermeasure against Mamata Banerjee’s initiatives. The narrative will highlight instances where the Bengal government obstructed these schemes, engaged in corruption, or rebranded them under different names to claim credit. PM Modi’s prompt intervention in the Sandeshkhali matter signals how swift the BJP is when it comes to cornering a rival party's government on corruption and misgovernance issues. The BJP will prioritise attacking the TMC on these grounds, appealing to voters who seek transparency and accountability. Unlike previous elections, where defections played a significant role, the BJP’s initial candidate list for Bengal reflects confidence in loyal party members, though the choice of Pawan Singh as Asansol candidate rasied many eyebrows leading to his withdrawal of candidature. This shift in the leadership strategy, overall, indicates a renewed determination to secure victory in the state.
As Bengal gears up for the general elections, the BJP’s roadmap sets the stage for a high-stakes political battle, with Sandeshkhali echoing as a powerful metaphor for change and accountability.
ALSO READ | Can NDA Achieve 'Mission 400'? East And South Tally In 2024 LS Polls Will Decide That
In PM Modi's rallies in West Bengal, a subtle yet significant narrative emerged. With deft political manoeuvering, Modi sought to tether the tragic incidents in Sandeshkhali, which resonated deeply with the populace of West Bengal, to the broader issue of religious appeasement allegedly perpetuated by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Trinamool Congress party. This strategic linkage harks back to the BJP's previous attempts to inject Hindutva fervour into the political landscape of Bengal, notably during the last Vidhan Sabha elections.
However, therein lay a dilemma: despite its fervent espousal of Hindutva principles, the BJP hesitated to overtly advocate for the consolidation of Hindu voters as a central plank of its strategy against the TMC. Consequently, political analysts in West Bengal opine that while the BJP's aggressive posturing on Hindutva did galvanise Muslim support for Mamata Banerjee, it failed to inspire a corresponding mobilisation of Hindu voters in its favour.
As the electoral chessboard takes shape for the impending Lok Sabha elections and the subsequent 2026 assembly polls in Bengal, the BJP seems poised to recalibrate its approach. Anticipating the significance of the Hindu demographic in these contests, the party appears primed to directly court their support, marking a departure from previous electoral strategies. This shift underscores the delicate electoral arithmetic at play in West Bengal, where the sizeable Muslim electorate, constituting approximately 30% of the voting population, holds considerable sway. As the BJP endeavours to carve out its electoral niche in this complex terrain, the upcoming political showdowns promise to be a high-stakes battle of narratives and ideologies.
The allegations stemming from Sandeshkhali and its neighboring areas point to a troubling reality: severe misgovernance under Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC). The Calcutta High Court, along with opposition voices, has highlighted the local police’s failure to apprehend the mastermind behind these incidents — Trinamool leader Shahjahan Shiekh — for a staggering 56 days. When the court indicated that central agencies or state police could effect the arrest, the police acted swiftly. Yet, this episode raises serious questions about the integrity of law enforcement.
For years, the Trinamool government has been mired in corruption allegations. From school job scams to syndicate rackets, several TMC leaders have faced legal repercussions. Against this backdrop, the BJP seizes upon the Sandeshkhali incident to weave a compelling narrative — one of corruption and failed governance under Mamata Banerjee’s leadership. PM Modi’s immediate political intervention underscores the gravity of the situation, and his decision to revisit West Bengal within a week further intensifies the stakes in this high-octane political drama.
ALSO READ | Will Sandeshkhali Really Do For BJP What Singur-Nandigram Did For TMC? The Answer Is No, As Of Now
The recent announcement by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of its list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal has sparked considerable attention and debate. Among the notable inclusions was Bhojpuri actor and singer Pawan Singh, nominated for the Asansol Lok Sabha seat. However, Singh's candidacy ignited a firestorm of criticism due to his controversial content and alleged derogatory remarks about Bengali women, leading to his eventual withdrawal from the electoral race.
The BJP's roster of 20 candidates featured a blend of seasoned incumbents and promising newcomers. Noteworthy among them are nine sitting MPs and three MLAs, with state BJP president Sukanta Majumdar slated for re-election from the Balurghat constituency. Additionally, Union ministers of state Nisith Pramanik, Subhas Sarkar, and Shantanu Thakur will vie for the Coochbehar, Bankura, and Bongaon seats, respectively.
The party's decision to nominate three sitting MLAs underscores a strategic shift. Manoj Tigga, BJP chief whip in the West Bengal Assembly, joins actor-turned-politician Hiranmoy Chatterjee and Sreerupa Mitra Choudhury in the list of MLAs transitioning to national politics. Notably, Chatterjee's candidacy in Ghatal marks a departure from the constituency's previous representation by actor Dipak Adhikari, signaling a recalibration of electoral strategy. Of particular interest is the nomination of Soumendu Adhikari from the Kanthi Lok Sabha seat. He is the brother of Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari. This move indicates a departure from the BJP's reliance on defectors from the Trinamool and signals a pivot towards cultivating steadfast party loyalists with strong grassroots connections.
The BJP's candidate selection reflects a nuanced approach, eschewing reliance on political turncoats or hardline figures. The party appears intent on nurturing a cadre of committed leaders to consolidate its position in West Bengal's political landscape. As the electoral battle unfolds, the BJP's strategic recalibration sets the stage for a contest defined by loyalty, ideology, and grassroots mobilisation.
ALSO READ | A Big Tactical Mistake Cost NDA Dear In 2004. Will 2024 See A Repeat? Here Is The Math
The BJP's strategy in West Bengal hinges on leveraging welfare schemes as a potent political tool against Mamata Banerjee's administration. PM Modi's Bengal rallies underscore this approach, where he emphasised how the central government's initiatives were allegedly obstructed or corrupted by the TMC regime. Modi's narrative aims to discredit Banerjee's claims of financial deprivation by the Centre, attributing them instead to the TMC's own alleged malfeasance. This tactic signifies a calculated effort to erode Banerjee's stronghold by highlighting the BJP's commitment to welfare and development. By casting TMC as an impediment to progress and portraying BJP as the saviour of Bengal, the party seeks to sway public opinion in its favour.
However, this strategy risks oversimplifying complex governance issues and overlooking ground realities. While welfare schemes are crucial, their effectiveness depends on implementation, cooperation, and accountability, factors obscured in the political rhetoric. Ultimately, the battle for Bengal will be fought not just on the stage of welfare schemes but also on the terrain of governance efficacy, transparency, and public trust. In this high-stakes political contest, voters must discern between political posturing and genuine commitment to their welfare and prosperity.
The BJP's aggressive stance following the Sandeshkhali tragedy underscores a pivotal moment in West Bengal's political landscape. The horrific events have not only sparked widespread discontent among various segments of society but have also exposed vulnerabilities within the TMC itself.
Women, traditionally a key support base for Mamata Banerjee, find themselves disillusioned by the TMC's perceived silence on the Sandeshkhali atrocities. This disenchantment extends beyond the electorate, with senior TMC figures like Tapas Roy and Kunal Ghosh publicly expressing their dissatisfaction, signaling internal turmoil within the party ranks.
In seizing upon this unrest, the BJP aims to capitalise on the TMC's perceived weakness. By highlighting the TMC's failures in addressing the Sandeshkhali incident and leveraging internal dissent, the BJP seeks to bolster its own position and erode the TMC's stronghold in Bengal.
However, amidst the political maneuvering, it's crucial to remember the human cost of such tragedies and the imperative for genuine accountability and justice. As parties vie for power, the voices of those affected by Sandeshkhali must not be drowned out in the cacophony of political manoeuverings and debates.
The author teaches journalism at St. Xavier's College (autonomous), Kolkata, and he is a political columnist.
[Disclaimer: The opinions, beliefs, and views expressed by the various authors and forum participants on this website are personal and do not reflect the opinions, beliefs, and views of ABP News Network Pvt Ltd.]
login
who are we?
contact us
qosheapp
Toi Staff
Gideon Levy
Belen Fernandez
Rami G Khouri
Donald Low
Mort Laitner
Ali Fathollah-Nejad
Nikkei Editorial
Michael Kwet
visit website
