West Bengal braces for 2026 polls amid rising communal rhetoric
KOLKATA: As the 2026 Assembly polls in West Bengal draw closer, the states political landscape is rapidly shifting towards a sharp communal binary. With the two principal political adversariesthe ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)locked in a murky battle of alleged communal politics, an undercurrent that was once latent has now come prominently to the fore. The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has emerged as a major flashpoint in the political strategies of both the Mamata Banerjeeled Trinamool Congress and the BJP headed nationally by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. While Mamata Banerjee has strongly opposed the SIR exercise, fearing the deletion of genuine voters, the BJPled in the state by MLA and Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikariclaims that lakhs of Bangladeshi Muslim infiltrators and Rohingyas will be excluded once the voter list revision is completed. This politics of religious polarisation in Bengalone of Indias most politically volatile states, traditionally prone to election-related violencehas sidelined fundamental issues and public expectations. Critical concerns such as education, employment generation, industrialisation, road development, civic amenities, and housing have taken a back seat, even as another election approaches. The response of the Trinamool Congress government on these fronts has been widely viewed as inadequate. The consequences of past political conflicts continue to cast long shadows. On the eve of Durga Puja in October 2008, industrialist Ratan Tata announced the withdrawal of Tata Motors from the nearly completed Nano car plant in Singur, blaming Mamata Banerjees antiland acquisition movement for derailing what was intended to be a groundbreaking projectthe worlds cheapest car. That decision marked the culmination of a bitter political confrontation that reshaped West Bengals industrial and political trajectory. Even 16 years later, Singur remains emblematic of missed industrial opportunities. More recently, about 26,000 tainted teaching and non-teaching staff in state government schools lost their jobs after the Supreme Court invalidated the West Bengal School Service Commissions 2016 recruitment panel over alleged cash-for-jobs scams. With unemployment rising and over 30 lakh migrant labourers working outside the state, experts argue that the governments top priority should be rolling out a new industrial policy. This policy should focus on strengthening MSMEs, creating district-specific development plans for north Bengal, and boosting industrial productivity and exports. Industry bodies have highlighted significant untapped opportunities in agriculture, food processing, infrastructure manufacturing, logistics, textiles, leather, and the gems and jewellery sector. At the same time, the closure of more than 7,000 state government schools has led to an alarming rise in dropout rates across districts. The government faces the urgent task of bringing students back to school by improving infrastructure, ensuring adequate teacher strength, and providing sufficient support staff. Against this backdrop, and with an eye on the upcoming Assembly polls, Mamata Banerjee recently released Unnayoner Panchali (Song of Development), a comprehensive report card of her governments performance over the past 14 years since assuming office in 2011. She claimed that 1.72 crore people were lifted out of poverty between 2013 and 2023, over two crore people gained meaningful employment, and unemployment fell by 40 per cent. According to her, the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) has grown 4.41 times since 2011 to 20.31 lakh crore, while the states own tax revenue has increased 5.33 times. She further stated that capital expenditure has risen by 17.67 per cent, strengthening infrastructure and long-term capacity, while social sector expenditure has expanded 14.46 times. Under the Lakshmi Bhandar womens empowerment scheme, the government is spending 12,000 crore annually. However, the CPI(M)-led Left Front, which ruled Bengal for 34 years, has demanded department-wise employment data to substantiate the governments claims. It has also pointed out that the states debt burden under the Trinamool Congress regime has crossed 8 lakh crore. As core developmental issues are increasingly pushed aside, identity politics is emerging as a dominant political agenda in Bengal. Suvendu Adhikari has openly articulated the BJPs electoral strategy, declaring, Hindus must rise, unite, and vote for BJPor Bengal will turn into another Bangladesh. The saffron camp has repeatedly accused Mamata Banerjee of Muslim appeasement. In response, Banerjee herself has leaned into identity politics, albeit with a softer Hindutva pitch. Declaring herself a Hindu Brahmin, she said, I sleep beside a Shiva temple and dont need to learn Hinduism from the BJP. Political observers note that both the ruling Trinamool Congress and the opposition BJP are increasingly invoking religious identitiesthrough Ram Navami, Hanuman Jayanti, and Eidnot merely as cultural observances but as political flashpoints. This escalating narrative has been further fuelled by incidents of communal unrest as witnessed recently in the state.
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