PM Narendra Modi.
The nature of Bengal politics has now completely changed. The narrative of Maa, Mati and Manush that has been going on in the state for years has now been colored in saffron. With a tremendous performance in West Bengal, BJP has crossed the 200 mark and has formed its government in the state for the first time. In the initial phase, there was a close contest between BJP and TMC, but once it got the lead, the graph of BJP kept going up.
This dominance of BJP in the country’s third largest state in terms of population will not only strengthen its hold in eastern India, but will also seal the nationwide electoral dominance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It is noteworthy that in the last elections BJP had got 77 seats, whereas this time it has registered a historic lead. But now the biggest question in the minds of people is that what will be the direction of the stalled economy of Bengal after the change of power?
The biggest test of ‘double engine’
For years, BJP has been alleging that the economy of Bengal has completely stagnated under the TMC government and industries have migrated from here. Now, the government of the same party at the Center and the state, i.e. the ‘double engine’ model, has the biggest opportunity to prove itself. This will be a high-pressure testing ground for the new government. They will have to quickly implement big industrial projects and immediately implement all those central schemes like Ayushman Bharat, which were put on hold by the previous government.
Market and economic analysts are also keeping a close eye on this change. Firms like Kotak Institutional Equities believe that this victory is a sign of political stability, which could lead to a long rally in the market. With no elections in any other major state till 2027, BJP-ruled Bengal could emerge as a “safe bet” for investors and the state could become India’s new investment hub.
Alarm bells for INDIA alliance
On the political front, this victory is no less than a big knockout. By breaking into the fort of Mamata Banerjee, the opposition’s most aggressive and grassroots leader, BJP has completely destroyed the ‘Bengal Model’. This is proof that regional identity politics can no longer act as a shield against the saffron wave.
Due to this weak performance, the INDIA alliance will also face existential crisis. Bengal was considered a “great bulwark” against the Modi wave. Due to its fall, the morale of the opposition will be badly broken and there is also a possibility of internal discord starting. The opposition’s strategy for the 2029 general elections now seems to be weakening, due to which this race may turn into just a ‘victory lap’ for the NDA.
How did saffron politics enter the ‘DNA’ of Bengal?
For decades it was believed that the cultural fabric of Bengal was very different and independent, which would not accept the politics of BJP. But today’s results have flipped this script. The party has conducted a successful experiment by combining the thoughts of great men like Tagore and Vivekananda with its national agenda.
The most important thing is that this victory is being considered as a direct approval of the public on the party’s tough stance on issues like CAA and infiltration. This will give the central leadership the strength to implement these policies more aggressively at the national level.
