The BJP is confident of wresting power in Bengal in 2021 as the party has been able to make significant inroads in the state winning 18 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats during 2019 general elections.
If there is a time tested maxim that – the History belongs to Dreamers, it is always advisable to know from the likes of Amit Shah or even Narendra Modi how to dream about and how hard work can help achieve these. If the opposition parties got lost in last three months to talk against CAA and how to instigate the protestors, the BJP has meticulously planned to set its goals for the crucial assembly polls in West Bengal due next year.
As part of the plan, in the run up to municipal elections, considered to be mini assembly polls, the BJP has decided to bring out a booklet highlighting multiple charges against the Mamata Banerjee led Trinamool Congress. The principal charge would be to call out Ms Banerjee for her infamous way of glorifying ‘politics of Muslim appeasement’.
In the words of state BJP president Dilip Ghosh, who was RSS Pracharak in Andaman and Nicobar islands, Mamata’s berserk approach with regard Jai Shri Ram slogans, open instigation to the anti-CAA protest and claim about the influx of Bengali Muslims from Bangladesh are ready pointers to push the BJP’s agenda against Mamata. The specially designed booklets have a specific section called ‘Aar noi An-nai’ ( no more injustice) and would highlight Ms Banerjee’s past stance on disliking Ram Navami procession and how the Trinamool regime has been showing discrimination against Hindus.
The strategy is clear that the BJP ought to reachout to maximum Hindu voters. “Elections are round the corner for civic polls and all eyes will be on 2021 assembly polls in Bengal. We will expose how she even developed dislike for words Ram Dhanu for rainbow and Krishna koli name for flowers,” said a state BJP leader.
The BJP detractors, however, say even in the past, the saffron party has used vitriolic campaign to polarise voters and in some states reaped rich dividends. However, in some states such as Bihar in 2015 and in Delhi in 2015 and 2020; the scheme had only boomeranged. It goes without stating with over 2.46 crore Muslims, West Bengal is a fertile ground for polarisation and more so because of Bengal’s history and legacy of refugee problem from Bangladesh.
The booklet will also highlight Banerjee’s anti-NRC and anti-CAA stance and expose how Trinamool has been working against the interest of Hindu refugees only to “appease” minorities who have had gala time being Muslims in countries such as Bangladesh. BJP’S campaign would highlight that contrary to expectations that as against the presumption that West Bengal would be safe land for Bengali Hindus, the Mamata regime and before 2011, the Left Front government, have only appeased Musims and present Bengali Hindus in poor light.
The BJP is confident of wresting power in Bengal in 2021 as the party has been able to make significant inroads in the state winning 18 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats during 2019 general elections. Nevertheless it needs to be mentioned that the BJP will not isolate itself completely from Muslims. Thus, amid talks about abrogation of Art 370 and Ram Temple following a favourable versict, Amit Shah has assured Muslims that they had nothingn to fear from the new Citizenship law.
In next few months, Mr Shah ia expected to visit West Bengal at least thrice every month ans hopes to personally reach out to as many voters as possible.
