Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders in West Bengal have expressed strong confidence in securing a decisive victory in the state, directly supporting Union Home Minister Amit Shah's recent claim of a two-thirds majority. The assertions came during media interactions and public rallies on Friday, setting a confrontational tone ahead of the next assembly polls.
BJP Leadership Backs Shah's Strategic Forecast
West Bengal BJP president, Samik Bhattacharya, addressed the media, acknowledging Amit Shah's role as a premier election strategist. "Amit Shah is the finest poll strategist in India," Bhattacharya stated. He admitted that the party had previously fallen short of Shah's expectations but insisted this time would be different. "If he says BJP will come to office with a comfortable majority this time, that will happen," he affirmed.
Bhattacharya, who recently visited New Delhi for consultations with the party's top leadership, suggested the formation of the next government in Bengal would surprise many. He emphasized that the ouster of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) is "just a matter of time." He further claimed a public mandate for a "double-engine government"—with the same party ruling at the centre and state—across the region from Gangotri to Gangasagar.
Adhikari's Seat Projection and Attack on TMC
Adding to the confident predictions, the Leader of the Opposition in the Bengal assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, was equally bullish. While leading a rally in Chanchal, Malda district, Adhikari projected a specific number. He claimed the BJP would win 220 seats in the upcoming assembly election. Drawing parallels with recent BJP victories, he said, "After Odisha and Bihar, victory in Bengal is only a matter of time."
Adhikari accused the Trinamool Congress of relying on minority vote banks to win elections. Separately, Bhattacharya renewed his appeal for opposition unity against the TMC. He referenced a recent meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, suggesting Chowdhury's efforts were aligned against the TMC but within the wrong political framework.
Voter List Revision Becomes a Flashpoint
The BJP leaders also launched a sharp attack on the TMC regarding the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists. Bhattacharya pointed out that of the 12 states undergoing the SIR exercise, only West Bengal was raising complaints. He challenged TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee to seek legal recourse if he had objections.
Echoing the controversy, Suvendu Adhikari predicted that the TMC would reject the final voter list once it is published. He provided a pointed comparison: While the TMC led the BJP by approximately 40 lakh votes in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, over 58 lakh voter names were deleted during the revision process, implying a significant impact on the electoral landscape.
The combined statements from the top state BJP leaders signal a highly charged and confident opposition ready to challenge the incumbent Trinamool Congress on multiple fronts, from voter list integrity to direct electoral predictions.
