Ajay Kumar I Lucknow
Politics in Bengal is once again boiling, and this time, at the root of it is the name of Lord Ram a symbol of faith that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has chosen as its biggest electoral strategy. As the 2026 Assembly elections draw closer, the political tension between the BJP and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) is intensifying.
In West Bengal, the festival of Ram Navami has now transformed from a mere religious event into a significant occasion that defines the direction and destiny of the state’s politics. The way the BJP and its affiliated organizations organized nearly 2,000 processions across the state on Ram Navami made it clear what agenda the party intends to pursue in the 2026 elections. These processions saw participation in thousands, with people carrying saffron flags, swords, chanting “Jai Shri Ram,” and dressed in saffron attire sending a clear message that this was not just a journey of devotion but also a political march.
Senior BJP leaders like Agnimitra Paul and Suvendu Adhikari were at the forefront of these events, directly targeting Mamata Banerjee from public platforms. Agnimitra Paul went as far as to say that no permission is needed to conduct a Ram procession, just prior information to the police suffices. Meanwhile, Suvendu Adhikari laid the foundation stone of a Ram temple in Nandigram, directly challenging Mamata Banerjee in her own stronghold. Nandigram is the same region where the anti-land acquisition movement in 2007 gave Mamata her first big breakthrough toward power, and now that very place has become the focal point of BJP’s strategy.
This time, the BJP is under no illusions. The party knows that in the last assembly elections, it won 77 seats in West Bengal its biggest success so far and now it wants to strengthen that base even further. In 2016, BJP received only 10.2% of the votes, which jumped to 38.1% in 2021. This surge is not just a play of numbers, but a reflection of a changing social and cultural narrative, which BJP and RSS are keen to capitalize on. This is why the party has now sharpened Hindutva as its electoral weapon.
The Ram Navami processions weren’t just driven by religious fervor; they were a well-planned effort to assert cultural claims and establish political dominance. In the various districts of Bengal where these processions took place, the dominance of saffron, the chants of “Jai Shri Ram,” and the abundance of Hindu religious symbols made it clear that the BJP wants to turn Bengal into a laboratory of Hindutva, just like it has done in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat. The party wants to demonstrate that Bengal, too, is the land of Ram, that it has no shortage of his devotees, and that they are now preparing for political change.
In response to this strategy, Mamata Banerjee has not chosen silence. The Chief Minister clearly stated that Bengal’s culture is under threat from external elements. She reiterated that Bengal is not Gujarat or UP. Its culture, language, food, and lifestyle are unique, and any attempt to change that with imported ideologies will not be tolerated. Mamata had successfully countered the BJP in the 2021 elections with the same “outsider versus Bengali” narrative and is now looking to take that path once again. By invoking Bengali identity, she wants to send a message to the people that BJP’s Hindutva politics doesn’t align with Bengal’s soil.
This time, the Trinamool Congress will not only talk about identity but also highlight Mamata’s administrative strength. The peaceful conduct of Ram Navami, with no major violent incidents, the visible police presence, and maintenance of law and order all serve as a message from the Mamata government that it can uphold peace at any cost. Kolkata’s Police Commissioner himself said that the police had been preparing for these processions for two months, and that’s why no major untoward incidents took place. Mamata will project this as her success and as a counter to BJP’s alleged chaos, presenting her government as a strong administrative alternative.
As part of its strategy, the BJP is now giving prominence to those places in Bengal on the religious map that are believed to be connected with the Ramayana era. Places like Sushravangadh in Bardhaman, Gandheshwari Temple in Bankura, and Giridharipur in Birbhum are being linked with Ram or Hanuman to create a new religious discourse. This is an attempt to make Bengal’s soil resonate with Ram’s presence, aiming to convince the public that the state’s cultural identity and Lord Ram are not at odds. For the BJP, this is an opportunity for cultural reinstatement, and it doesn’t want to leave any stone unturned.
But this battle won’t be limited to religious symbols. TMC strategists know that BJP’s popularity cannot be halted by identity politics alone there must be ground-level efforts on issues as well. That’s why Mamata Banerjee will also focus on development, employment, education, and healthcare. She already has strong support among women voters and is trying to consolidate it further. Additionally, Mamata will seek to ensure that Muslims and other minority communities remain united behind her, just as they did in 2021.
The Bharatiya Janata Party is openly playing the Hindutva card. For them, there’s no compulsion to worry about losing Muslim votes in the process because BJP never really counted on Muslim support. On the other hand, Mamata Banerjee is caught in a dilemma. She is trying to keep Muslim votes from drifting toward Congress or the Left while also avoiding alienating Hindu voters. This very tightrope walk is weighing heavily on her. Rahul Gandhi has recently been focusing more on West Bengal, particularly targeting Muslim voters, which is causing further anxiety for Mamata. If Congress performs decently in Bengal, it could harm TMC’s prospects. Meanwhile, the BJP stands to gain from a split in the Muslim vote.
Though the BJP’s political offensive is aggressive, Mamata’s government is equally prompt in responding. Through a mix of administrative strength, cultural pride, and development, she wants to deliver the message that Bengal’s political face is not the BJP, but the Trinamool. On the other side, the BJP is turning every religious and cultural occasion into a campaign platform. Ram Navami was just the first stage there’s every possibility that upcoming festivals like Durga Puja, Diwali, and others will also be politicized.
The 2026 election is no longer just a political contest; it has become a battle of ideologies. On one side is an effort to polarize in Ram’s name, and on the other is a call to defend Bengali identity. This conflict won’t remain confined to the electoral battlefield it will echo in every alley, every square, every temple, every college, and every panchayat. Now the people have to decide which path they want to take saffron politics in Ram’s name or Mamata’s blue-and-green identity.
This decision will not only determine the direction of Bengal but also deeply impact national politics. In this political Ramayana, every party is preparing its own characters, but in the end, it is the people who will play the role of Ram and decide who receives the elixir of power. History has shown that Bengal has never been easy for anyone, and this time the battle is even more complex and fascinating. As the election draws closer, this struggle will become fiercer, and perhaps this time, the true face of Indian politics will emerge from Bengal itself.
