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Following a successful electoral performance in Bihar, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has immediately shifted its strategic focus to its next significant challenge: the crucial state of West Bengal. The party views Bengal as a top-priority target in the upcoming round of state elections, having established itself as the principal opposition force there, despite falling short against the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in previous contests.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi signaled this shift soon after the Bihar results, asserting that the victory had paved the way for the BJP’s triumph in Bengal and promising to end the perceived “Jungle Raj” in the state.
Overcoming the ‘Outsider’ Tag
The central challenge for the BJP remains the potent narrative of “Bengali asmita” (pride) successfully deployed by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the TMC. In the 2021 assembly elections, the TMC skillfully framed the contest as a battle between a “daughter of Bengal” (Banerjee) and a party of “outsiders,” a strategy that significantly curtailed the BJP’s momentum.
To counter this, the BJP is taking several strategic steps:
- Highlighting Bengali Heritage: The party plans to actively promote its deep roots in Bengal, emphasizing that the founder of its ideological predecessor, the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, was Syama Prasad Mookerjee, a prominent figure from the state. This move aims to dismantle the “outsider” label and integrate the party’s ideology with Bengali culture.
- Local Leadership: There is a conscious effort to ensure that key decision-makers and campaign faces are predominantly state leaders. The party is using regional religious iconography and slogans, such as “Joy Maa Kali” and “Joy Maa Durga,” to reinforce its local identity.
- Countering TMC’s Own Record: BJP leaders are preparing to expose what they claim are contradictions in the TMC’s campaign by pointing out that the ruling party has nominated non-Bengali individuals for various parliamentary seats, thereby undermining its own claim to be the sole protector of Bengali identity.
Campaign Strategy and Focus Areas
The campaign strategy is being meticulously organized under the direction of the party’s central leadership, with weekly coordination meetings monitoring preparedness across the state’s 80,000 polling booths.
The BJP has identified ten core issues to drive its campaign:
- Law and Order
- Corruption and Nepotism
- Illegal Immigration
- National Security
- Subversion of Democracy
The party’s primary focus, however, is currently on strengthening grassroots organization and outreach, particularly drawing lessons from the shortcomings of the 2021 polls. Furthermore, the selection process for candidates will prioritize those with deep organizational ties and a clean image, avoiding a last-minute influx of defectors from other parties—a mistake the BJP believes hurt its prospects previously.
Regarding leadership, the BJP is expected to continue its established practice of not declaring a specific Chief Ministerial candidate. Instead, the campaign will be fought under the banner of “collective leadership” from the state unit, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi serving as the campaign’s central figure and most prominent face.
