The political battle ahead of the second phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections 2026 has taken on a new dimension. The Bharatiya Janata Party is no longer seeing this election as a simple state election; rather, it is a decisive battle for them to seize power. Starting from the central leadership, the Chief Ministers and star campaigners of various BJP-ruled states have been fielded simultaneously, which highlights the importance of this election.
The party’s internal message is clear—”This time, not never.” Behind this attitude is the rise of the BJP in the last decade. While the party was limited to just 3 seats in 2016, it increased to 77 in 2021. This growth has created the main foundation of the party’s confidence. As a result, this time they have entered the field not only with a good result, but also with the aim of directly forming the government.
The second phase of voting to be held on April 29 is particularly important. This phase includes districts like Kolkata and its surrounding areas, Nadia, Hooghly, Howrah, North and South 24 Parganas, and East Burdwan, which are traditionally known as strongholds of the All India Trinamool Congress. As a result, the BJP’s performance in these regions will largely determine the future direction of the elections.
Narendra Modi is at the center of the BJP’s campaign. In his speeches, corruption, women’s safety, development, and the promise of a ‘double engine’ government have repeatedly come up. He claims that the winds of change are blowing in Bengal, and the BJP has no alternative to ensure development.
On the other hand, Amit Shah has taken an aggressive strategy in this election. His confident comments on the results of the first phase and the claim of a bigger victory in the second phase are seen as a strategy to create political pressure. Issues of infiltration, citizenship, law and order, and security are getting special importance in his campaign.
Yogi Adityanath’s campaign language is tougher. He is promising strong administration, crime control, and the establishment of the rule of law in Bengal. This message is mainly targeted at those voters who want strict administrative control.
Besides, infiltration, appeasement, and identity politics are also gaining importance in Himanta Biswa Sarma’s speech. His campaign is seen as part of the BJP’s aggressive political message, which can affect the emotions and sense of security of voters.
The BJP is not just relying on top leaders; it has fielded around 40 star campaigners. These include the central leadership, including Rajnath Singh, J. P. Nadda, Nitin Gadkari, and the Chief Ministers of various states. Apart from this, stars like Mithun Chakraborty, Hema Malini, and Kangana Ranaut are also participating in the campaign, which has created additional attraction in this election.
One of the main faces of the BJP at the state level is Suvendu Adhikari. He is challenging the Trinamool by bringing up local issues like corruption, jobs, women’s safety, and administrative failures. He is accompanied by leaders like Sukanta Majumdar, Dilip Ghosh, and others.
This campaign strategy of the BJP is basically working at three levels: the central leadership is highlighting development and national issues, at the second level, the message of security and political change is being given, and at the third level, the state leadership is trying to convert local discontent into votes.
However, according to critics, whether this all-out campaign will be able to break the Trinamool’s stronghold or not is the big question. Under Mamata Banerjee’s leadership, the Trinamool Congress’s organisations, social projects, and women’s vote bank are still considered a major force.
All in all, the West Bengal elections have now become a high-voltage political battle. The BJP is looking to turn its rise into power, and the Trinamool is ready to face that challenge. The April 29 elections and the subsequent results will decide who will be ahead in this battle.
This election will not only determine the power of a state, but it may also have an impact on India’s national politics. So all eyes are now on this important battle in West Bengal.
