BJP still has miles to go in Kerala :::: Three MLAs --- that may be 'lucky' as in 2016 Bengal BJP too had 3 legislators

BJP wins three seats in Kerala, Rajeev Chandrasekhar and V Muraleedharan make the cut

BJP Kerala unit president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who lost the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha seat to Congress leader Shashi Tharoor in 2024, announced his candidacy for Nemom, before election dates had even been set.

He commanded a considerable lead in the Nemom segment in 2024 and hence Rajeev started working since December 2025.

A surprise victory for the BJP came from the Chathannoor constituency in Kollam, which had been held by the CPI for the past 15 years. 

BJP leader B B Gopakumar, who had finished second in Chathannoor in the previous two elections, won with a margin of 4,398 votes, defeating R Rajendran of the CPI. 

The LDF had replaced its MLA of 15 years, S Jayalal, with Rajendran.

The third BJP conquest was 'Kazhakoottam'. This srgment fell to the BJP in the final rounds of counting. 

In 2021, LDF candidate Kadakampally Surendran had publicly apologised for the Sabarimala incidents before the elections and successfully defended his Kazhakoottam seat against a strong challenge from BJP's Sobha Surendran,

In 2026, he again faced intense BJP criticism over the Sabarimala gold theft allegations and lost his seat to former Union Minister V Muraleedharan.

The intensity of the battle could be understood as the margin was a modest 428 votes. 

"I have been saying since 2025 that whatever the CPI(M) tries, it won't win this election. This was an anti-CPI(M) election, after their ten years of rule and the Sabarimala theft," Chandrasekhar said about the BJP's victory in Kerala. "I promise the people of Nemom that I will be their servant and work for them 24 hours a day," he added.

The BJP's success in West Bengal has brought in reasons for encouragement for the Kerala unit as well. In lighter vein, the victory of three MLAs is being considered as good omen as the party had three legislators in 2016 in West Bengal too. And within 10 years, they have crossed the 200 mark in the 294-member assembly. 

K N Balagopal - CPI-M leader

K.N. Balagopal maybe will be a leader to watch in future among the communists. 

He was Finance Minister of Kerala under Pinarayi Vijayan. 

A CPI(M) leader from Pathanapuram; he has presented multiple state budgets (2021-2026) focusing on social security, welfare pensions, and navigating severe fiscal challenges. In case Vijayan now gives up leadership due to age factor; the focus may shift to Balagopal.  

He was also a Rajya Sabha MP between 2010 and 2016. 

In the BJP win; there was one common factor between three newly elected MLAs. They all could snatch the seat from the CPI-M or Communist parties held seats.  

This has a significance because possibly two good prospective women candidates of the BJP lost the polls this year essentially because their closest rivals were from Congress. Actually, the 2026 assembly polls in Kerala this time was a poll of pro-Congress wave. Perhaps a rate thing to happen since 2014. 

Padmaja Venugopal, daughter of Late former CM K Karunakaran, and BJP candidate lost the prestigious  Thrissur Assembly seat to Congress candidate Rajan. Similarly, despite big push, Sobha Surendran fell in Palakkad also to a Congress nominee.  

The BJP’s prospects were affected by several factors, including the central government’s amendments to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, which impacted its outreach to Christian voters. 

The UDF, by contrast, consolidated support among both Christian and Muslim communities, further limiting the NDA’s electoral opportunities. 

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Assam polls show ... how 'Ground Realities' matter the most in Elections :::: How hashtags don’t win votes ::: PM credits Brahmaputra and Ma Kamakhya

 Assam poll results expose how hashtags don’t win votes, ground game does 

Constituencies, namely Guwahati Central in Kamrup (Metro) and Mariani in Jorhat region can be easily cite to strengthen an argument that hashtags do not matter much in elections. 

The 'disconnect' between what's on ground and what's on 'online' have been exposed.

Both these assembly segments saw candidates who became social media talking points during the poll campaign, particularly among younger voters.

But on the vote count day on May 4th it was proved that all those hashtags failed to convert that enthusiasm into votes. 

In Guwahati Central, Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) candidate Kunki Chowdhury, 27, entered the fray as a fresh, urban face with no prior political experience. 

Her candidacy quickly gained traction online, with campaign videos, interviews and policy pitches circulating widely. 

For many, she symbolised generational change in Assam politics.

Yet, as counting progressed, the numbers told a starkly different story. 

According to data from the Election Commission, BJP veteran Vijay Kumar Gupta won the seat with 101,297 votes, while Chowdhury secured 39,376 votes only.

 A similar pattern was visible in Mariani, where Raijor Dal candidate Gyanashree Bora, another young face who generated strong online engagement, was also trailing as counting continued. 

Here, BJP candidate Rupjyoti Kurmi won with 79,632 votes, while Bora secured 52,792 votes. 

The contrast between online enthusiasm and electoral performance was striking. Chowdhury’s campaign was built around urban governance issues such as artificial floods, waste management, parking constraints, skill development and gas pipeline expansion — themes that resonated with sections of the city’s electorate. 

Her approachable campaign style, including door-to-door outreach and informal interactions with voters, further boosted her visibility. 

However, visibility did not translate into votes. 

Experts say the results highlight a fundamental limitation of digital campaigning. 

While social media can amplify narratives and build candidate recall, it cannot replace the organisational depth required to win elections. 

Political observer Dhruba Pratim Sharma points to the structural realities of the constituency. 

“The BJP appears to have fielded its candidate with a clear understanding of the constituency’s demographic profile, which includes a significant number of non-Assamese and business community voters who traditionally lean towards the party. 

Over the past five years, many voters have also consolidated into a strong BJP support base,” he said. 

Sharma added that voting behaviour is often shaped by party familiarity and consolidation. 

“A large section votes along party lines, with those opposed to the BJP often preferring the Congress symbol, which is more familiar than AJP’s. 

In this context, the votes Kunki Chowdhury secured seem largely driven by her personal appeal and campaign visibility,” he noted.

Political observer Vikas Tripathi told 'Assam Tribune': 

“It acts more as a catalyst, not a deciding factor.” 

He explained that electoral victories hinge on organisational strength, alliance-building, leadership networks and booth-level management. 

“These are areas where established parties continue to hold an advantage,” Tripathi said. 

In urban constituencies such as Guwahati Central, these factors are even more pronounced. 

A strong base among urban middle-class and business communities, combined with a well-oiled party machinery, has consistently worked in favour of the BJP, making it difficult for new entrants to break through despite high visibility. 

Chowdhury’s campaign also highlighted the challenges faced by regional parties like the AJP. 

While the party's “Assam First” narrative may resonate in principle, it lacks the organisational reach and symbol recall of larger parties such as the BJP and Congress.  

Regional forces remain relevant, but largely alliance-bound Raijor Dal registered modest but symbolically significant gains, winning two seats in Sivasagar & Dhing

Regional parties in Assam’s 2026 Assembly elections delivered a limited but nuanced performance.

The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) retained  influence within the BJP-led NDA. 

On the other hand, Raijor Dal registered a modest expansion and the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) failed to make a breakthrough yet again. 

The AGP, contesting 26 seats as part of the NDA, managed to increase its tally by one and won 10 seats this time. 

The party’s strategy drew considerable attention during the campaign, particularly its decision to field 13 candidates from religious minority communities – nearly half of its nominees. 

Interestingly, despite Atul Bora defending the move repeatedly, none of the party’s minority candidates made it to the House. Jibesh Roy from AGP won from Bilasipara, Dipak Kumar Das from Barpeta, 

Dharmeshwar Roy from Bajali, 

Dr Tapan Das from Dimoria, 

Keshab Mahanta from Kaliabor, 

Prithiraj Rava from Tezpur, Bikash Saikia from Teok, 

Atul Bora from Bokakhat, Diptimoyee Choudhury from Bongaingain and Prakash Chandra Das from Hajo-Sualkuchi. 

“This victory is not merely a political success. It is a strong affirmation of the people’s faith in the NDA and their commitment to take Assam forward on the path of development,” party president Atul Bora said.  

PM credits Brahmaputra and Ma Kamakhya

“Our constitutional institutions have won, our democratic processes have won. In Assam, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Kerala, new turnout records have been made,” he said addressing BJP workers in Delhi on May 4 evening.

Striking a personal note on Assam, the Prime Minister invoked cultural symbolism to explain the party’s continued success in the state. 

“With Ganga ji, we have also been blessed by Brahmaputra and Ma Kamakhya. Because of this, we have scored a hattrick in Assam,” he said.

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R G Kar rape victim's mom Ratna Debath wins big :::: Cut Money to split in Muslim votes resulted in Trinamool debacle

The rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in August 2024 unleashed a wave of grief.

There was fury - and something like that Kolkata had rarely seen. On May 4, 2026, rhe election results including defeat of Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur suggest those wounds have not healed.

“My daughter comes home late from college. As a mother, I’m genuinely worried — and I shouldn’t have to be. Instead of ensuring women’s safety, Mamata said women shouldn’t stay out on the roads at night. That is shameful,” said Soumi Roy, an advocate at Alipore court.

As results poured in, in effect she bought sweets outside the court compound and as expected -- she was smiling as her face smeared with saffron abir.

After the RG Kar outrage, as women across West Bengal demanded that every hour of the day be made safe for them, the government’s response was to limit women’s night shifts wherever possible. For many voters, that response said everything. 

The grievances were not only urban. Deep in a South 24-Parganas village, a fisherman said the local Trinamool leader routinely harassed his wife in his absence. 

“We are helpless,” he said.

As a gesture of concern for women safety, the BJP ha fielded the ill-fated young medico's mother. BJP's Ratna Debnath has won the Panihati seat with a commanding margin of 28,836 votes. Ms Debnath humbled her closest rival Tirthankar Ghosh of Trinamool Congress. 

The 'women safety' was a major issue in the just concluded election this year. 

Split in Muslim votes spells doom for Trinamool Congress

The split of Muslim votes came to the advantage of the BJP and the party’s candidates were seen either winning or leading in six of the 12 seats in Malda, where the electorate is 50% Muslims. 

It was the shifting away of the Muslim vote from the Left Front to the Trinamool Congress that brought Mamata Banerjee to power in 2011. 

Now, about 15 years later, a split in the minority vote became one of the reasons why the Trinamool Congress was decimated in 2026. 

The Muslim vote bank which remained steady with the Trinamool over the past several elections saw a spilt in the 2026 Assembly polls, with the Left-ISF alliance, the Congress and Humayun Kabir’s Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) spoiling the Trinamool party.  

Issues like women safety and Corruption were common to Muslims; and this is something the TMC never appreciated. 

BJP had campaigned well on the issue and its president Samik Bhattacharya's remarks "Marchhey Musalman, Morchche Musalman (Muslims are perpetrators as well as victims of violence) made impact among Muslims.  

‘Cut money’

Trinamool made welfare schemes central to its electoral pitch. But for many beneficiaries, the schemes came with an unspoken price. “Housing, sanitation — whatever the scheme, you couldn’t access the benefit without paying a cut to the local leader. It had almost become the norm,” said Sushil Pal, a BJP functionary from Sonarpur.  

"2026 Assembly polls in Bengal was more a Mission" - new BJP MLA Swapan Dasgupta 

Journalist-turned-neta Swapan Dasgupta has said that the assembly elections in West Bengal this year was more than a routine "political contest". "It was more of a Mission". 

"It was this sense of missionary ability to change Bengal ... to take it out of its complete relevance ... which drew a lot of us," he told NDTV channel. That way the polls were also significant to "restore" the relevance of Bengal "to bring it back into the map of India...that was what this election was all about".  

He further said - "This vision was also well articulated ... by the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi). There was a very happy convergence between Bhadralok impulses and what the BJP said".  

Dasgupta won from Kolkata's Rashbehari assembly segment by a margin of over 50,000.  

ends 

This is like "Karma fal"... Law of Karma .... BJP has demonstrated a triumph of the will ..... victory consolidates Amit Shah’s position .... Congress is no match for BJP’s ruthlessness

For Trinamool Congress, defeat in West Bengal means more than just being voted out of power after 15-year rule ::: 

The root element of BJP's success lies in the "will power". 

Mamata Banerjee punished for glorifying a slogan borrowed from Bangladesh 

::: She took voters, especially Hindus for granted. She insulted Hindus and also Hindu Gods and Godesses.

This is like "Karma fal" 

BJP has demonstrated a triumph of the will .....  victory consolidates Amit Shah’s position .... Congress is no match for is no match for the BJP’s ruthlessness. ::::  BJP's strategy was sharper, deeper yet far less rhetorical

Triumph of BJP in West Bengal will be a "multi cause" for grand celebration ::: It's win against Islamic Demographic intent, against Radicalisation... It's victory for Development, Hindutva and Nationalism. 

The reactions to the mandate might have surprised some. These self-seeking intellectuals today stand exposed. They are short of accusing the majority of the electorate of having turned fascists. This is unwarranted and unjustified. Twent years back, the same crowd said the same thing about Gujaratis. 

It is not communalism that has spread. Such a diagnosis will be erroneous. 

It is the Hindu resurgence and there are reasons for it. 

Videos and images showing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee participating in Islamic prayers or offering Namaz have circulated periodically, often fueling debate regarding religious appeasement. 

With West Bengal and Assam win; the BJP looks more invincible.

every successive defeat means more pressure mounting on the opposition ...

Defeat of TMC and DMK ...major blow

Result in key state is set to have significant implications for the country’s political landscape and push Hindutva politics further

The victory in West Bengal, which had been a longstanding ambition for the BJP, furthers the Hindu nationalist party’s unfettered control over state and central governments in India, as it expands its influence over the eastern part of the country.

ends 

Mamata lost in Bhabanipur ..... West Bengal gets "mukti" from Jehadi aunt .... What a lesson ... !! BEAUTY of DEMOCRACY :::: It is not communalism that has spread. It is the Hindu resurgence

Mamata punished for glorifying a slogan borrowed from Bangladesh :::  

Like it or not, West Bengal mandate was about genuine Nationalism  

Mamata in 2011 had described her landslide victory as a magic. 

"It's magic. It's a festival of democracy," she had said after decimating the CPI-M; and how things have come to this stage ... haunting her this year. 

Suvendu Adhikari has won the Bhabanipur seat against Mamata Banerjee. Adhikari has won by a margin of 15,000 votes. Initially, Banerjee was leading, but in the last few rounds Adhikari began leading.

"Now we can really say ... Sonar Bangla", remarked a Mumbai-based college goer on social media. 

Mamata Banerjee lost in Bhabanipur ..... 

West Bengal gets "mukti" from 'Jehadi aunt' .... 

What a lesson ... !! BEAUTY of DEMOCRACY 

In 2011, Buddhadeb Bhattacharya had lost his assembly seat too. Time is a big circle and it has come back to haunt the 'aunt' who started glorifying Awami League's slogan 'Jai Bangla'.  Essentially she thoight - voters could be taken for granted especially if they were Hindus. She had lost 2021 assembly poll in Nandigram but came back as the chief minister because the law allowed so. 

However, no corrective measures were taken even between 2021 and 2026. Governance was never her focus and Muslim appeasement was her top most priority. She kept on hurling insults to Hindus and even Hindu God. Her party leaders did the same thing. They all banked on the magical 30 per cent. 

But on the D-Day; it was discovered that the Muslim votes have split. A sustantial number might have deserted her. The issue of corruption could never be compensated by Rs 1500 freebies. How much humiliating it was !!

BJP's and Team Modi's victory in West Bengal and that way also the hat-trick in neighbouring Assam has traumatised parties such as the Trinamool Congress and also the Congress andthe AIUDF in Assam especially; it has also unnerved a large section of those who are at best pretenders of intellectuals, analysts and journalists.  

The mandate actually is a lesson. 

The reactions to the mandate might have surprised some. These self-seeking intellectuals today stand exposed. They are short of accusing the majority of the electorate of having turned fascists. This is unwarranted and unjustified. Twent years back, the same crowd said the same thing about Gujaratis. 

It is not communalism that has spread. Such a diagnosis will be erroneous. 

It is the Hindu resurgence and there are reasons for it. 

Videos and images showing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee participating in Islamic prayers or offering Namaz have circulated periodically, often fueling debate regarding religious appeasement. 

However, Sickular media and Fish-fry Journalism gave twister interpretation. This Hindu resurgence is a repeat of people's anguish from Gujarat days. 

One example was demonstrated on the day of polling in Kolkata when an innocuous frail looking housewife standing in queue to cast vote said - "I am here to vote for the BJP because the state under Mamata -a woman chief minister - gave people the right to say Allah o Akbar; but me and my children could not say Jai Shri Ram".  

The election came and gone. She underestimated the power and legitimacy of SIR. 

She overestimated her legal team and the legal luminaries of Delhi including the likes of Kapil Sibal. But in the last six months, she must have lost more than a dozen litgation in the court.  

Mamata had boasted she will not allow SIR. It was a totally misplaced stance. Her opposition made cadres misdirected, perhaps the party organisation suffered. The wrong priorities overwhelmed her party's eco system and practically gheroed their mindset.  

The BJP leaders say  the Bengal results reflected a decade-long "freedom struggle" and a "victory for the people".  

"West Bengal was once the pride of India. The communists ruined it ... Mamata Banerjee almost made it an extended counter for neighbouring Bangladesh," said one Durgapur resident Jhantu Purkayastha. 

ends 

Mandate proves the strength of Ek Bharat, Shrest Bharat : PM Modi addressing BJP workers in Delhi

 Mandate proves the strength of Ek Bharat, Shrest Bharat : PM Narendra Modi  

"Today is a historic day. It is unprecedented. When years of efforts turn into success, the happiness that is seen on the faces of people is the same happiness that I see on the faces of BJP workers across the country today." 

 

"You have created a new history" - Namo to Karyakartas

"The five states have proved today why India is Mother of Democracy"  

Modi recalled his 2014 statement when he had said in Varanasi - "that Maa Ganga has called me at her service (Ganga Maa ne bulaya hae)". "Today, I am feeling the power of that statement every moment". he said in reference to party's success in West Bengal as the sacred river flows in that state before joining the sea.  

"With West Bengal win, 'lotus' is blooming from Gangotri to Gangasagar"  

Modi thanks EC, all those associated in conduct of elections; says their role in upholding dignity of democracy will be remembered

Rahul Gandhi obliges Modi in a way ..... Its 'Communist Mukt Bharat' now !! :::: Over the years, BJP's political meetings and roadshows are getting more people

In some ways Rahul Gandhi's Congress has helped BJP achieve a new milestone. 

Communist-mukt Bharat. It's like saying --- "our turn has not come yet .... let's see how it looks like to be Communist-free".  

For practical purpose, the Congress since 2014-15 is more of a communist party or so-called Urban Naxal.

After more than three decades in power, the Left lost West Bengal in 2011 to Mamata Banerjee. In 2018 and 2023, it lost Tripura to the BJP. And now LDF is lost to Congress-led UDF.

 

But what does 'Weak communists' rally mean?

It opens the door to Hindu nationalism in India. The pro-Hindutva BJP has been always gaining ground in former Leftist strongholds


The downward slippery journey of Indian communists, electorally and in exerting influence on the sociopolitical mindset, has been phenomenal in the last decade. In the regions where they are losing their grip, the pro-Hindutva BJP is gaining. 


The religious minorities who should be happy about 'atheism' losing ground are now more worried about an even worse form of political ideology gaining power.


But in Kerala, it still was Congress that was fighting the Marxists and others.

The BJP, which is allegedly pushing to make India a nation of Hindu hegemony, came to power in Tripura by ousting its communist government in 2018. 


The BJP was slowly gaining political support in West Bengal and Kerala, two other communist strongholds. But by 2011 as Mamata came to power in Bengal; the political game was different. The BJP emerged the principal opposition in 2021 and the Left parties scored a zero.


Kerala would have got rid off the Marxists in 2021 itself. But the LDF survived than.

Over the years, BJP's political meetings and roadshows are getting more people than ever before in Kerala too. 

That -- according to some analysts wedded to distorted Secularism (that is Sickularism) should worry both Christians and Muslims in the state who have traditionally opposed the BJP's pro-Hindu politics.

The BJP's growing support base naturally means dwindling popularity for Kerala's two traditional political alliances — one led by the Congress party and the other led by leftist parties.

The leftist parties' ouster from power in Kerala, the only state where they were running the government till now, will probobly wipe out communism from Indian politics.

The Marxist-led Left Front lost power in their one-time stronghold West Bengal in 2011 after ruling the state for 34 years at a stretch. 

In 2018, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) lost power in yet another small state, Tripura, which has a sizable number of native Christian tribal people and a large number of Hindu Bengalis.

Nevertheless Kerala's communist leader and the outgoing chief minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, deserves credit for fighting it on. 

He refused to move along the stricter communist path the comrades walked in Tripura and West Bengal.

Critics said Vijayan already "tinted the red flag of the communists with the hues of saffron", the color associated with Hindus. 

In other words, he ran the extra mile not to offend Hindus with his so-called reformist and progressive communist ideas.

Some years - We 'rediscovered' God's own Country - never realising Marxists would be out one day

ends