With two back to back power packed rallies, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has turned up the heat on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. PM Modi addressed two rallies in West Bengal yesterday, one in Siliguri and the other one at Brigade Ground, Kolkata. At this crucial point in the campaign, both the rallies saw an ocean of BJP supporters from in and around West Bengal. This indicates the huge scale of support for PM Modi and a deteriorating electoral situation for Mamata Banerjee.
According to people in the know, what is happening in Bengal is unprecedented. These visuals from the land of Sri Aurobindo and Swami Vivekananda, will give Mamata many sleepless nights.https://t.co/VM48IrDYto
— Ajit Datta (@ajitdatta) April 3, 2019
With fast changing dynamics in electoral politics, we will examine five reasons why TMC should be worried in West Bengal.
1. Reiterating the facts mentioned above, lakhs of BJP supporters attended both the rallies that PM Modi did, which is contrary to the previous experiences in Bengal, where strong arm tactics of Left parties and now TMC have suppressed political dissent. Violence and intimidation have been used perpetually to restrict voters from attending rallies of political rivals, stopping candidates of rival parties from filing nominations and even voting; However a strong current of support for BJP and Narendra Modi has brought out a big wave of people despite TMC’s ‘terror raj’ in West Bengal.
2. BJP has clearly succeeded in mobilizing people of West Bengal and integrating them in the national narrative. BJP haven’t had any significant presence in West Bengal for long, but with mobilization of this scale, the stage is set to disrupt Mamata’s political inning. BJP have been building inroads in the state’s political scene and this is another matter of concern for the TMC. Various opinion polls are also indicating huge electoral gains for the BJP in the State.
3. Digital media has also helped the BJP in involving masses in its campaign in Bengal. With huge attendance and sharp responses by Prime Minister Modi, the rallies have created a national buzz. Social Media, taking the fore front, was quick to cheer the massive response that PM Narendra Modi got in Kolkata and Siliguri. This sort of response from people on social media and other platforms is another indication of BJP’s success in making a significant dent in West Bengal politics and is sure to carry on to an even larger extent.
4. Tall figures from West Bengal, like Swami Vivekananda, who have been missing from the political discourse, are back on the front. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recalled their contribution in shaping the nation and called out the opposition parties who have kept these great personalities out of the narrative, to cater to their minority dominated vote bank. Narendra Modi struck the right chord in West Bengal at a time when Mamata’s government is under attack for their minority appeasement and discriminatory treatment of dharmic religions like Hinduism, Sikhism and others.
5. PM Modi’s rally is surely going to impact the current political situation in West Bengal, with so many people openly joining him. People in West Bengal are now looking towards the BJP in the hope of a change. Supporting the BJP, which was once considered to be blasphemous in West Bengal, is now becoming a trend.
The law and order situation in West Bengal has already pushed TMC on the back foot and if not addressed promptly, it is sure to further damage TMC’s political ground. The body of a 42-year-old man was found hanging at BJP booth office in Siliguri early morning today.
West Bengal: Body of a 42-year-old man was found hanging at BJP booth office in Siliguri early morning today; Police investigation is underway.
— ANI (@ANI) April 4, 2019
A gruesome murder just a day after the mega rallies adds more questions to Mamata’s governance and administration in the state. However the people of West Bengal seem to be determined in exercising their right of choice according to their will when the time comes.
