New leadership priorities ahead of 2026 assembly elections
KOLKATA — With the 2026 West Bengal assembly elections less than a year away, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is revamping its approach by prioritising committed party loyalists over recent turncoats. This strategic shift comes after several high-profile defections and internal clashes weakened the party’s standing in recent local elections.
Sources within the BJP say the state unit has been directed to strengthen its district cores and re-engage with grassroots karyakartas who felt alienated during the last campaign cycle. The party is also focusing on ideological training to realign its local base with central leadership.
Turncoats sidelined as core cadre regains focus
Leaders who joined BJP from Trinamool Congress (TMC) or other parties post-2019 are reportedly being kept at arm’s length. A senior party member from North Bengal, speaking anonymously, said, “We welcomed many outsiders earlier, but not all stood the test of loyalty or discipline. Now the focus is on our own.”
The move is seen as a corrective response to the BJP’s 2021 assembly election loss, where internal rifts and a lack of grassroots connect were cited as major reasons for underperformance.
Workshops and booth-level reshuffles underway
As part of the restructuring, the BJP has begun conducting booth-level meetings across districts like Hooghly, Bankura, and Cooch Behar. Senior leaders from the central team are also expected to visit Bengal frequently to assess progress and provide strategic inputs.
“We are reorganising with discipline, clarity, and faith in our core base,” said BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar. “The next phase is not about high-profile campaigns but steady engagement with every ward and block.”
TMC responds with criticism and confidence
The TMC has brushed off BJP’s new moves, calling it “an exercise in desperation.” Minister Firhad Hakim commented, “They are trying to rebuild what never existed. Bengal has always rejected their politics of division.”
Despite the criticism, political analysts believe that BJP’s attempt to rebuild trust with its original supporters could result in a stronger challenge in 2026, particularly in districts where they performed well in Lok Sabha polls.
Voter sentiment will be key in coming months
As campaigns slowly intensify, voter sentiment in urban and rural areas alike will determine how successful BJP’s reset truly is. “It’s not about ideology anymore — it’s about credibility,” said political observer Shibaji Ghosh. “And for BJP, that means showing humility and long-term intent.”
