West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is rallying her Trinamool Congress (TMC) party to secure victory in the 2026 state elections, framing it as a crucial step towards removing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from power at the national level. Banerjee has sharpened her attacks on the BJP, accusing the party of harassing Bengali-speaking migrant workers in states where the BJP is in power.

Banerjee led a protest march in Kolkata, denouncing the alleged mistreatment of Bengalis and warning of widespread protests if such actions continue. She claimed that approximately 1,000 people have been arrested and placed in "detention camps" in BJP-ruled states, further alleging that the central government has secretly instructed these states to target Bengali speakers on the slightest suspicion. Banerjee has vowed to defend Bengali identity and resist any attempts to remove names from electoral rolls, threatening political retaliation.

Banerjee directly challenged the BJP, daring them to detain her for speaking Bengali. She questioned the BJP's right to harass Bengalis, asking if West Bengal is not a part of India and why there is so much hatred against Bengalis. She asserted that around 22 lakh migrant workers from Bengal possess valid identity documents and declared that she would not tolerate any disrespect towards them.

The TMC's campaign strategy appears to be heavily reliant on rekindling an emotional connection with voters by blending identity politics with grassroots mobilization. Banerjee is emphasizing "Bengali pride," accusing the BJP of linguistic profiling and "criminalizing poverty" in the name of national security. The BJP, however, has dismissed these allegations as political posturing, blaming the TMC government for the chaos surrounding the documentation of migrant workers and infiltration. Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari has accused the TMC of using "Bengali asmita" to shield "Bengali-speaking Rohingyas and illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators".

Banerjee has also targeted the Election Commission (EC), claiming it is filled with BJP agents. She accused the BJP of manipulating voter lists to achieve its political ambitions, alleging that the party won in Maharashtra by removing names from electoral rolls and is now planning to do the same in Bihar and Bengal.

The annual Martyrs' Day rally in Kolkata, led by Banerjee, is seen as the launchpad for the TMC's 2026 election campaign. This event commemorates the killing of 13 Youth Congress workers in a 1993 police firing and has grown into the party's largest political event. This year's rally is particularly significant as it is the last before the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. TMC leaders expect Banerjee to use the rally to lay out the party's political roadmap and discuss strategy with party workers.

Banerjee's shift in narrative from "Bengal in Danger" to "Bengalis in Danger" reflects a strategic move to consolidate her support base by focusing on the identity and rights of Bengali-speaking people.