BJP workers in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi marked the party’s victory in West Bengal assembly elections on Monday with a unique celebration by distributing jhalmuri, a popular Bengali snack. The delicacy had already gained political significance after Prime Minister Narendra Modi stopped during campaigning in Bengal’s Jhargram to buy and eat the spicy snack, a moment that drew wide attention on social media.
Symbolism of Jhalmuri in Celebrations
Party workers turned the snack into a symbol of celebration, linking it to their electoral confidence. They said the spice of jhalmuri reflected the effect of BJP’s campaign against its rivals, especially the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC). In Ghaziabad, as MP Atul Garg handed a plate of jhalmuri during the celebrations, a party worker remarked, “The jhal (spice) was too much for TMC this time in Bengal’s jhalmuri that Mamata sure must have felt on her palate. Not taking away the credit from our leaders and party workers, but jhalmuri jadu (magic) did the trick for us, and what best way to celebrate BJP’s blockbuster entry into Bengal than enjoying it with jhalmuri.”
Atul Garg’s Role and Experience
Garg had been assigned the charge of the Barrackpore constituency and stayed there for 18 days to oversee the party’s poll preparations. Recalling his stay in Bengal, Garg said, “The jhalmuri factor gained traction after PM bought a packet of it in Jhargram while campaigning. I tried it after I met a mobile vendor selling jhalmuri. It was spicy, unlike the one I had elsewhere. It left a burning sensation in my mouth, but I’m sure today the opposition must be feeling far worse.” Among the assembly segments in Barrackpore, BJP’s Sidipta Das won from Bijpur. In Bhatpara, Jagatdal and Noapara, BJP candidates established unassailable leads.
Celebrations Across Locations
In Barrackpore, the contest between the BJP and TMC remained intense, while in Amdanga, TMC held a slender lead. At the Delhi secretariat, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and cabinet ministers celebrated the victory with a jhalmuri gathering. Chandni Chowk MP Praveen Khandelwal also held a jhalmuri party at a community centre. In Varanasi, PM’s Lok Sabha constituency, MLA Saurabh Srivastava distributed the snack to party leaders instead of traditional bouquets. Similar celebrations were reported in districts such as Shravasti, Agra, and Jhansi. Along with jhalmuri, BJP workers across Uttar Pradesh held gatherings and burst crackers to mark the victory.
