In what could easily pass off as Bengal’s most deliciously political campaign moment, BJP candidate Dr Sharadwat Mukhopadhyay decided to take on the ruling party’s narrative not with a speech, not with a rally, but with… a fish.
Yes, a full-grown catla.
As the battle for West Bengal heats up, Mukhopadhyay, contesting from Bidhannagar, walked through neighbourhoods holding the iconic Bengali staple, turning a routine canvassing exercise into a viral spectacle. Within hours, videos of the “fish campaign” flooded social media, with netizens joking that Bengal politics has officially entered its seafood season. Watch the video below:
The move comes amid repeated allegations by Mamata Banerjee and the TMC that the BJP, if voted to power, could interfere with Bengal’s deeply rooted non-vegetarian food culture. Fish, after all, is not just food in Bengal, it’s identity, emotion, and sometimes, even politics.
Mukhopadhyay, however, wasn’t having any of it.
“Lies are being spread. We will eat fish, mutton, chicken, whatever we want,” he told amused voters, holding up the fish like a political prop.
Adding a cultural twist, he likened the fish to the traditional Bengali wedding ritual where gifts, including fish, are sent from the bride’s family to the groom’s house, effectively saying: “This is who we are.”
And just like that, the campaign turned symbolic.
The BJP has been on the defensive over accusations tied to restrictions on meat and fish sales in some NDA-ruled states.
The TMC has used those examples to suggest a similar fate for Bengal under saffron rule. BJP leaders, including Sukanta Majumdar, have repeatedly denied any such intent, insisting that food choices are personal and will remain untouched.
But in a state where food habits are as political as party flags, logic alone may not cut through. Enter: the catla strategy.
Political observers say the move is both clever and calculated. Instead of issuing dry rebuttals, the BJP candidate tapped directly into Bengal’s cultural pulse, using humour, familiarity, and a dash of theatrics to make his point.
Social media, meanwhile, had a field day. Memes comparing campaign styles, jokes about “fish manifestos,” and comments like “finally, a campaign we can digest” flooded timelines.
Whether the fish stunt translates into votes remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: in Bengal, even elections can get a little… fishy.