As the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections draw near, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has laid out the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) strategy and expectations for party members, emphasizing a grassroots-level approach. Shah's recent visit to Kolkata, from December 29-31, 2025, signals the unofficial commencement of the BJP's campaign to win the state.
During a closed-door meeting with BJP MPs, MLAs, councilors, and organizational leaders, Shah stressed the importance of cohesion within the party and directed public representatives to dedicate a significant amount of time to their constituencies. He instructed them to spend at least four days a week in their constituencies and conduct a minimum of five street-corner meetings daily to improve public outreach. Shah also emphasized that party tickets for the high-stakes assembly elections would be contingent upon proving their worth.
Shah reportedly intends to spend a few days each month in Kolkata leading up to the election. He has set an ambitious goal for the Kolkata region, aiming for the party to win at least 20 of the 28 assembly seats across the Dum Dum, Kolkata North, Kolkata South, and Jadavpur Lok Sabha constituencies.
A key element of the BJP's strategy involves strengthening its organizational base at the booth level. This includes deploying booth-level workers and Panna Pramukhs (page-wise voter tracking) and establishing training centers. Shah also sought feedback from the BJP's 2024 Lok Sabha poll candidates regarding their campaign experiences in order to better understand the factors that contributed to their wins and losses.
In addition, Shah indicated that former state president Dilip Ghosh would be one of the main figures for the BJP in the upcoming elections. Ghosh, whose aggressive campaign style is well-known, is expected to play an active role.
The issue of infiltration is expected to be a central theme in the BJP's campaign. Shah has accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government of deliberately allowing undocumented migration from Bangladesh for electoral gains. He stated that if elected, the BJP would identify and remove all "infiltrators," framing it as a matter of national security and demographic change in West Bengal. Shah promised to build a "strong national grid" to prevent cross-border infiltration, asserting that even a bird wouldn't be able to cross the border if the BJP formed the government.
Despite the BJP's efforts, challenges remain significant. In 2021, the TMC won 213 seats with 47.9% of the vote and maintains deep organizational roots. The BJP will need to convert anti-TMC sentiment among former Left voters while also appealing to Bengal's traditionally pluralistic political culture.
TMC leaders have dismissed Shah's claims of a two-thirds majority for the BJP in 2026, with some asserting that the party would not even cross the 50-seat mark in the assembly polls. Bratya Basu, a TMC leader, has referred to Shah as a "political tourist" whose visits "will serve no purpose".
