Like the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya; the miracle of Suvendu Adhikari's emergence as the chief minister is in the crowds. -- That's the power of people.
In 2021, Nandigram created the magic. Again the faceless voters - it was an assertive message. Mamata Banerjee lost her second election after 1989.
In 2026 - the BJP again repeated the story and could defeat Mamata Banerjee.
The BJP symbolises many things to many people. In the context of West Bengal and the mandate 2026, it is the Hindu resurgence. It is also a step for a new chapter of Renaissance. It is nationalism and of course its Development as the foremost 'catalyst' Narendra Modi has envisioned.
"বিশ্বাস সেই পাখি, যে ভোর হওয়ার আগে অন্ধকারেই আলো অনুভব করে।"
(Vishwas shei pakhi, je bhor houar agey andhakarei alo anubhob kore..
It means --- "Faith is the bird that feels the light when the dawn is still dark".
The vision of Hindutva carries the strong belief that Hindus represent not only a religious group but Bharat's (or India’s) true national identity.
Hence on the day, the BJP takes charge of West Bengal for the first time coinciding with 25th day of Baishakh (of Bengali calendar) .... people and intellectuals shouldn't resist two cheers.
The 'BJP wave' that West Bengal witnessed as 92 per cent of people exercised their franchise has a special significance nationally and at the level of geo-politics in South Asia. India stands only a quarter century from the centenary of its independence -- 2047. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set a milestone - Viksit Bharat - a Developed India. It's an ambitious target.
But none can deny the "hypnotizing delivery" of PM Modi’s speeches projects the unprecedented confidence in India’s destiny at a time when there are multiple challenges in core economic and security policies.
The election results in West Bengal are also a vindication of the Modi Govt's policy of development but they are punctuated well with the right dosage of Hindutva ideology.
The aspirational Bengali youth wanted a change, they longed for a change for a better life. Now, they will want jobs.
There is another facet. The freebies and welfare measures have their shelf lives. Mamata Banerjee has exhausted that in West Bengal. Perhaps, PM Modi also faced this peculiarity in 2024 because the voters had already rewarded him for those including cooking gas cylinders and toilets for the poor in the 2019 parliamentary polls.
The slogan 'Jai Bangla' borrowed from Awami League in Bangladesh also backfired for Mamata.
The apparatus to run the Double Engine Sarkars will now have to realize that in West Bengal things could be messier than what was Uttar Pradesh in 2017 or what was Bihar in 2005.
In the meantime, Bangladesh is in news once again. But this time it is linked to election outcome in West Bengal - where for long existed political stalwarts who did not mind becoming 'pro-Left' politicians and administrators.
These elements - the Leftists and later the Trinamool Congress did not mind handling the issue of Bangladesi Muslim infiltration with kid-gloves. Now things would change.
Although so called secular (read sickular) forces governed West Bengal after India’s independence, the state was home to the early seeds of Hindutva-based politics.
In fact, BJP (Jan Sangh) founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee, who was also associated with the Hindu Mahasabha, hailed from West Bengal.
It was logical that the BJP leaders marked its victory by paying homage to him, underscoring the symbolic significance of this political shift.
With the BJP at the helm both in Delhi and in Kolkata and a pro-Hindutva catalyst Modi as the Prime Minister, India’s eastern approach vis-a-vis Act East Policy to South East Asia and with neighbours such as Bangladesh is poised to become more ideologically cohesive.
For the Tarique Rehman Govt in Dhaka, this may hint for a 'transition' from dealing with a fragmented system to confronting a far more decisive and unified neighbour.
Bangladesh has also suffered enough by tilting pro-Pakistan in 2024-25. Hence Dhaka may have to play ball especially on economic front.
ends
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