Bengali film industry, bar associations and now football clubs, BJP is destroying Mamata’s empire brick by brick

This general election saw the TMC losing massive political ground to the BJP. The saffron party, given clear strategy and groundwork, has been successful in making huge political inroads in the state, with its vote percentage jumping from a mere 17% in 2014 to more than 40% in 2019 general election. Jump in the total seats won by the BJP in West Bengal, from 2 in 2014 general election to 18 in the 2019 general election also followed this spike in vote percentage. As the political temperature in West Bengal, looking at the upcoming assembly elections continues to rise, a different kind of game has been developing in the background of a nasty electoral competition between the BJP and the TMC.

On Monday, 22 July for the first time ever the saffron party got a majority position in the Kolkata High Court Bar Association polls. BJP bagged 8 out of the 15 office bearer post while the TMC could only manage to win on 5 posts. With the BJP making firm progress in the state, other domains have also been turning away from the TMC which has not only failed on the governance front but also failed to keep the rule of law in the green field state.

According to reports several Durga Puja committees have also been tilting towards the saffron party, which have traditionally been monopolized by the TMC. Mamata Banerjee was earlier called out for placing restrictions on Puja celebrations in order to appease certain sections of second-largest majority in the state, now reports showing this tilt in Puja committees are surely fallout of Mamata’s anti-Hindu governance practices. Reports over call for leaders like Amit Shah, Smriti Irani and Yogi Adityanath, and others to inaugurate Pujas have also been made.

“As a party, we believe that Durga Puja is a great occasion for bonding. Our party leaders and workers will be part of Duurga Puja throughout Bengal,” said BJP state president Dilip Ghosh. 

Other than social groups, BJP has also being gaining traction among several football clubs in the state. According to media reports, two famous football clubs based in West Bengal Mohun Bagan and East Bengal had written to Prime Minister Modi about the existential crisis faced by them. Following the letter, senior BJP leader Kailash Vijayavargiya had gone and held a meeting with the clubs. With more around 10,000 members and supporters count running into lakhs these clubs hold significant political leverage. Some of these clubs even have ex-TMC lawmakers at important positions.

Also countering TMC’s star power in the state which boasts of names like Nusrat Jahan and Mimi Chakraborty, the saffron party has also taken note of the successful strategy and has upped the ante with its set of star power for the electoral contests. Recently several movie and TV stars joined the saffron party in presence of its West Bengal unit head Dilip Ghosh and senior functionary Mukul Roy, BJP leaders Sambit Patra and Rahul Sinha were also present in the induction ceremony. The list included Parno Mittra, Rishi Kaushik, Kanchana Moitra, Rupanjana Mitra and Biswajit Ganguly and others who took the political leap.

Welcoming the 12 actors who had joined the BJP, Dilip Ghosh had said that the people in West Bengal are inspired by the leadership of PM Narendra Modi, he also these actors deserve credit for their “courage” as it has become “risky” for people to join his party.

BJP gaining political ground in these domains is sure to not go down well with the TMC, which has already been struggling in the state.