New Delhi / Kolkata: Fresh from its decisive win in the Bihar Assembly polls, the BJP is looking to channel the momentum into West Bengal — Mamata Banerjee’s most formidable political fortress. Senior leaders say the NDA’s Bihar success proves that “anti-incumbency can overturn strongholds,” and the party sees an opportunity to challenge the TMC’s deep organizational hold ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
BJP believes Bihar results boost morale for Bengal
Party strategists argue that the Bihar mandate has “energized cadres and reset the political pitch,” giving the BJP confidence to push harder in states where it narrowly missed victory in the past.
In Bengal, where the party surged to 77 seats in 2021 but failed to unseat Mamata Banerjee, leaders say the next two years are critical.
A senior BJP functionary said the win “signals public fatigue with entrenched regional leadership,” hinting that the same sentiment could be tapped in Bengal.
NDA plans sharper narrative to counter TMC
Post-Bihar, the BJP plans to recalibrate its Bengal outreach around:
Corruption and scams: Sharpening attacks on the alleged SSC recruitment scam and welfare scheme irregularities.
Grassroots mobilization: Reviving booth-level committees weakened after 2021.
Polarization dynamics: Leveraging areas where the BJP registered high vote shares in the last Lok Sabha elections.
Women-centric campaigns: A direct challenge to Mamata’s strong connect with female voters.
Leaders also say the Bihar win proves that development-based narratives, especially central schemes, can outperform local identity politics.
TMC dismisses the hype
TMC leaders, however, brushed aside the BJP’s confidence, saying Bengal is “not Bihar” and that the state’s political culture has historically rejected “Delhi-driven” campaigns.
A senior TMC MP said the BJP “misreads Bengal every time” and argued that Mamata Banerjee’s personal mass appeal “remains unmatched.”
Why Bengal matters for BJP after Bihar
Political analysts say the BJP wants to show that:
The Bihar victory is not an isolated win but the start of a larger east-India expansion.
Bengal remains the biggest symbolic and strategic prize in the region.
Weakness in the opposition bloc after the Bihar verdict presents a window for breakthroughs in states where regional parties dominate.
2026 could be the biggest NDA–TMC clash yet
With TMC dealing with internal strains, corruption allegations, and rising opposition pressure, the BJP sees a real opportunity to close the gap with the ruling party.
But experts caution that Bengal’s political matrix — caste-light, culture-heavy, personality-driven — is entirely different from Bihar, requiring tailored messaging.
For now, the BJP’s post-Bihar confidence has set the stage for an intense, multi-year battle for one of India’s most politically charged states.
