Union Home Minister Amit Shah delivered a clarion call to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers in West Bengal, urging them to mentally prepare for a decisive victory in the crucial 2026 state assembly elections. During a key address in Kolkata on Wednesday, Shah set ambitious electoral targets and rallied the cadre to overcome past setbacks.
Ambitious Targets for the Kolkata Belt
Shah instructed party functionaries to aim for winning 22 out of 28 assembly seats in and around the Kolkata region. This urban belt includes constituencies such as Jadavpur, Dumdum, Jorasanko, and Shyampukur. Notably, the BJP failed to secure any of these assembly seats in the 2021 state polls, though it did lead in the Jorasanko and Shyampukur segments during the 2024 Lok Sabha election counting.
"Our workers have been killed and that has bled our hearts. This time, I want 22 out of 28 seats from areas in and around Kolkata," Shah emphasized. His message was unequivocal: "Dil pe likh lo, is baar hamari sarkar (Write it on your hearts, this time it's our government)." This rallying cry came just hours before his departure from the city.
Focus on Organizational Strength and Key Issues
During his hour-long interaction, Shah addressed perceptions of organizational weakness head-on. He directed workers to disregard narratives suggesting a feeble party structure in the state, asserting that the BJP's strength had significantly improved since the 2021 elections. Senior state BJP leaders revealed that Shah's strategy involves a major breakthrough in a wider Kolkata belt encompassing nearly 140 seats. This zone spans Kolkata's periphery, North and South 24 Parganas districts to the east and south, and Howrah district across the Hooghly river.
Shah also raised the contentious issue of alleged infiltration and what he termed a "changing demography" around Kolkata. Quoting the Home Minister, a functionary stated, "He said we may not fully grasp the danger now, but Kolkata is no longer safe. Infiltration will rise and the consequences will be serious."
The address included a moment of on-the-spot correction. When Shah initially mentioned that the BJP had led in three civic wards in Bhowanipore—the constituency from which Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee won a 2021 bypoll—party worker Navin Mishra stood up to correct the figure. Shah gracefully accepted the update, revising his statement to acknowledge the party's lead in five civic wards there, crediting "hard work."
TMC's Sharp Rebuttal and Counter-Narrative
Trinamool Congress (TMC) spokesperson Kunal Ghosh swiftly dismissed Shah's predictions of a BJP victory in 2026. He accused the BJP of feeding its workers "daydreams" and relying on faulty arithmetic. Ghosh specifically countered the BJP's narrative that the TMC's victory margins would be offset by voter deletions under the Election Commission's Special Summary Revision (SIR).
"BJP's maths is wrong," Ghosh asserted. "Every 70-75% turnout means 25-30% didn't vote. Deletions will fall there. Let them daydream." He also launched a strong counterattack on corruption allegations, labeling the BJP as "the biggest washing machine" where leaders facing graft charges "turn saints" after joining the party.
Furthermore, Ghosh rejected BJP criticism concerning women's safety in Bengal, pointing to cases such as Unnao, Hathras, and Bilkis Bano in states governed by the BJP. This exchange sets the stage for a fiercely contested political battle in the run-up to 2026, with both parties digging in their heels. Shah's visit and stark targets underscore the national ruling party's determined focus on making deep inroads into Bengal, a state that has remained a TMC stronghold.
