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    COVER STORY                                                              APRIL 24, 2026    |  The Indian Eye                    4

                                    BENGAL ASSEMBLY ELECTION

                        MAMATA’S

                               BIG TEST

                As West Bengal heads to polls, the battle between the TMC and BJP has evolved

                        into a test of endurance, perception, and national political momentum.

            OUR BUREAU
            Kolkata /New Delhi
                     ith West Bengal  voting  in
                     two phases on April 23 and
            W29, and results due on May
            4, the state has once again become
            the  epicenter  of  a  fierce  political
            contest—this  time  less  about  tradi-
            tional campaigning and more about
            a sustained battle of nerves between
            Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Con-
            gress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Ja-
            nata Party (BJP). What is unfolding
            is not merely a state election, but a
            high-voltage confrontation with im-
            plications  that  extend  well  beyond
            Bengal, shaping narratives for na-
            tional  politics ahead of future elec-
            toral cycles.
                At the  heart  of this contest
            lies a clash of competing anxieties.
            For  Banerjee,  it  is  about  defending
            turf—securing a fourth consecutive   West Bengal Chief Minister TMC party supremo Mamata Banerjee during the election campaign at Dinhata, Cooch Behar on Thursday (ANI Photo)
            term while resisting what she frames
            as an existential challenge to Ben-  broad  coalition  of  social  groups  by   a political battle where trust itself is   responded with equal intensity, shift-
            gal’s identity. For the BJP, it is about   portraying the BJP as a threat across   contested terrain.  ing the focus to governance, security,
            breaking through the last major re-  identities.                        At the same time, Banerjee has   and alleged administrative failures.
            gional stronghold that has resisted   Her warnings have taken on a   sought  to position herself as the   Himanta Biswa Sarma, one of the
            its expansion, converting electoral   sharper  edge  as  polling  nears.  Al-  defender of Bengal’s cultural and   party’s most vocal campaigners, has
            momentum into governance power.   leging that the BJP is using adminis-  constitutional  identity.  “They  want   accused  Banerjee  of  enabling  com-
                Banerjee’s  rhetoric  reflects  a   trative mechanisms to target voters,   to  impose  uniformity  by  erasing   munal tensions and failing to main-
            leader  under  pressure  but  unwill-  she cautioned citizens against shar-  our language, our culture, our food   tain control over the state’s socio-po-
            ing  to concede ground. Launching   ing  personal  information.  “In  those   habits,  and  our  diversity,”  she  said,   litical environment.
            a  blistering  attack  on  the  BJP,  she   forms, they are taking your home   framing the  BJP’s  rise  as  not just   Referring to controversial state-
            described  it  as  “oppressive,  author-  address, your bank account number,   political  encroachment  but  cultural   ments  by  local  leaders,  Sarma  ar-
            itarian, anti-women, anti-minority,   your  phone  number—do  not  give   homogenization. Her assertion that   gued that such rhetoric would not be
            anti-Dalit,” and extended her cri-  anything!” she said, adding, “Other-  “Bengal will never bow” captures the   tolerated  in  BJP-ruled  states.  “This
            tique  to  include  “anti-Adivasi  and   wise…  they  will  loot whatever you   emotional pitch of the campaign—  doesn’t happen in the rest of India,”
            anti-Hindu.” This sweeping indict-  have.” Such statements underscore   transforming electoral choice into a   he said, suggesting that West Bengal
            ment is not incidental; it is part of a   a campaign built on mobilizing sus-  question of dignity and autonomy.  has  become  an  outlier  under  TMC
            deliberate  strategy  to  consolidate  a   picion and vigilance—hallmarks of   On the other side, the BJP has   Continued on next page... >>

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