Played hobe…This was the slogan for the last 5 years Mamata Banerjee She used to taunt her rivals. But this time, ‘Khela Hoye Geche’ and not in the way the Trinamool Congress (TMC) had envisioned. The unimaginable has happened, and “the lotus has blossomed in West Bengal.“The result has redrawn the political map of Bengal, ending TMC’s 15-year dominance and setting the BJP up to form its first government in the state. It also marks another turning point in Bengal’s political journey: from decades of Left rule to the rise of Mamata Banerjee in 2011 and now the success of the BJP.But how did the party that won 77 seats in 2021 reach a thumping majority in 2026? This was not a wave built on fate. This was the result of a deliberate strategy that systematically targeted and disrupted the TMC political machinery.Here are 10 steps that changed the electoral map of Bengal:This time no ‘Didi…O…Didi’If the BJP has learned any clear lesson from 2021, it is this: Voice matters in Bengal.Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Didi…O…Didi!” at a rally during the 2021 assembly elections. The jibe at Mamata Banerjee was meant to make fun. TMC seized on it and called it an “insult to the daughters of Bengal”.At that time, Mamata Banerjee had made a sharp retort and said, “They don’t even know how to respect women. It is an insult to the chair for a Prime Minister to make fun of a woman Chief Minister like this.” TMC pushed that line through the campaign, arguing that the remarks were not just personal but an insult to Bengal’s identity, a narrative that resonated in a state where women voters have been a decisive block.The BJP’s aggressive, personality-driven pitch in 2021 hit that wall. Despite high-voltage publicity, it fell short.In 2026, change was visible.There was no direct personal attack on Mamata Banerjee. The campaign moved away from the clash of personalities and instead focused on what party leaders described as “systemic issues”, governance, corruption, delivery and law and order. It also allowed the BJP to expand its appeal beyond core voters, especially among women. Focus on local leadersThis time the campaign was not run only from Delhi. Union Home Minister Amit Shah spent considerable time in the state, even as he said he would “stay in Bengal as long as needed” to monitor the campaign. But unlike previous elections, the focus shifted to state faces supported by national leaders. Especially Suvendu Adhikari, who was once close to Mamata Banerjee, emerged as the party’s key strategist on the ground.The Home Minister launched the campaign with around 40 programs and extensive organizational meetings while reviewing the preparedness in all 294 constituencies. At the same time, Union ministers and chief ministers of BJP-ruled states made their presence felt across Bengal through hundreds of rallies and road shows.For the BJP, this created a twin engine: central push with local implementation. Adhikari’s victory from Nandigram by a margin of over 10,000 votes symbolized how that strategy translated into results.Counter to TMC’s ‘fish’ statementAmid the heat of the campaign, Mamata Banerjee tried to create a cultural panic by warning voters that the BJP would take away something central to Bengali identity: fish. “If they come to power, they will stop you from eating fish, meat and eggs. They want to make Bengal a vegetarian state and destroy our identity,” he said at several rallies.The BJP moved quickly to counter this with optics. The allegation became a topic of discussion after leaders including Union Minister Anurag Thakur were seen eating fish in public during the campaign. At a Kolkata eatery, Thakur was filmed enjoying a traditional fish curry, quipping, “Didi says we will ban fish? I’m eating it right now!”The reaction was not limited to top leaders. In Bidhannagar, BJP candidate Sharadwat Mukherjee campaigned with a huge hilsa (ilish) in his hand, reassuring fish traders and vendors.In Jhargram, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a surprise stop for Jhalmuri at a roadside stall, chatted with the seller and paid from his pocket.The message the BJP gave was that it is not here to change the atmosphere of Bengal and is only trying to show that it can be a part of it.Counterattack on TMC’s ‘vote theft’ allegationWhen around 90 lakh names were removed due to massive voter list revision, Mamata Banerjee and other TMC leaders launched a scathing attack, calling it “murder of democracy” and “backdoor NRC”. “What is happening now will surpass even the actions of super Hitlers. They have removed lakhs of names belonging to a particular community to eliminate our rights,” he said at a rally in Birbhum.However, the BJP stuck to its line. Leaders such as Suvendu Adhikari and Amit Shah framed the exercise as a purge of “ghost voters” and a necessary reform to a “rigged system”. Suvendu mocked TMC’s reaction, saying, “Pishima is crying because her ghost-voter factory has been sealed.”‘Infiltration’ storyThroughout the campaign, the BJP repeatedly highlighted the threat of illegal migration into the border districts. He successfully portrayed TMC as a protector of infiltrators who help in vote-bank politics. Amit Shah made a clear promise during his 15-day stay in the state:Amit Shah made a clear promise during his 15-day stay in the state: He said, “Once the BJP government is formed, not even a single bird will be able to cross the border illegally.” We will create a security grid that will make Bengal a fortress for citizens, not a haven for infiltrators.”corruption and governance The BJP’s most sustained attack was on day-to-day governance. From recruitment scandals to “cut money” culture, the campaign turned corruption into a live issue. He issued a comprehensive “chargesheet” against the 15-year-old TMC regime, focusing heavily on the teacher recruitment scam, where the court order canceling 25,000 appointments became a symbol of systemic rot.BJP leaders highlighted specific governance failures: denial of Ayushman Bharat benefits, blockage of central water projects, and refusal to implement the 7th Pay Commission for state employees. By framing the election as a choice between “mafia rule” and “transparent governance”. The results showed that the party was successful in convincing the middle class and youth that the state’s economic decline was a direct result of TMC’s governance model.law & OrderLaw and order became a frequent BJP talking point, with the party framing the election as a choice between “bhaya” (fear) and “nirapotha” (security). Incidents such as the RG Kar case have been repeatedly cited to raise questions about the state’s handling of crime and accountability.In a symbolic move, the BJP also fielded RG Kar victim’s mother Ratna Debnath. His candidacy transformed the election from a political contest to a quest for justice. At a massive rally in Panihati where PM Modi shared the stage with him, he declared:“This is not just an election, it is a fight for the dignity of our daughters. The soul of Bengal is crying for justice that ‘Didi’ failed to provide justice. A mother’s tears will now become the foundation of a new, secure Bengal.”The BJP ensured that law and order remained a central voter issue throughout the campaign.female voterFor years, Mamata Banerjee’s Lakshmir Bhandar was considered an impenetrable political shield, providing Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,200 to more than 2.4 crore women. In 2026, the BJP not only challenged this plan, they effectively doubled the stakes. Under the “Matri Shakti Vandan Yojana”, the BJP promised a monthly direct cash transfer of Rs 3,000 to every woman in the state.The BJP deployed workers to help women fill “Matrishakti Bhorsa Card” (trust card) even before voting began. This “form-fill-up” campaign created a sense of certainty among rural voters. By combining this financial promise with 33% reservation for women in state government jobs and the creation of 75 lakh ‘Lakhpati Didis’, the BJP successfully ended TMC’s monopoly on women voters, and converted the “silent support base” into a saffron wave.Discrediting the ‘outsider’ tagIn 2021, TMC successfully branded the BJP as bohiragoto (outsider). This time, the BJP responded by insisting on clear localisation.Instead of relying more on central leaders, the party put forward Bengal faces like Suvendu Adhikari and projected him as “Maati’r Chele” (son of the soil). The campaign slogans reinforced this change, “Ebar Bodol Chai” (This time, we want change), “Asol Poriborton” (Real change), and “Bangla nijer meyeke chai, kitnu shashon poriborton-o chai” (Bengal wants its daughter, but also wants a change in governance).Even as PM Modi and Amit Shah led rallies, the message remained rooted in Bengal: language, culture and local issues.‘United frontThe biggest lesson the BJP learned from the 2021 defeat was that a house divided cannot stand. In 2026, the party resolved its internal “old guard versus newcomers” friction by presenting a strong united front. The return of veteran Dilip Ghosh to center stage was a turning point. By fielding the former state president from his old bastion Kharagpur Sadar, the BJP indicated that the grassroots workers are back in command.By bringing Ghosh back into the core leadership, the BJP ensured that “core” workers did not feel alienated by the influx of TMC defectors.For the first time, the BJP looked less like a conglomeration of factions and more like a disciplined alternative to the Trinamool Congress.
