Bihar NDA Wave Boosts BJP’s Confidence in Bengal Ahead of 2026 Polls

The sweeping National Democratic Alliance (NDA) victory in the Bihar Assembly elections has injected renewed confidence into the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in West Bengal, where Assembly polls are slated for 2026.

Senior BJP leaders on Friday said the Bihar outcome signals the beginning of a larger political shift in eastern India—one they believe will culminate in the end of the Trinamool Congress’ (TMC) 15-year rule.

Soon after clear trends emerged from Bihar, Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal, Suvendu Adhikari, asserted that a free and fair election conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI)—similar to the recently concluded Bihar polls—would ensure the “guaranteed” defeat of the Trinamool Congress.

“In Bihar, the people voted for continued social and economic development, a sustained and stable law and order situation ensuring the safety of women, and improved governance,” Adhikari said.

“In West Bengal, the people will vote against prolonged misrule, unbridled corruption, rising crimes against women, and the deterioration of law and order,” he added.

State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya said the Bihar mandate was more than just an electoral result; it was a “clear indication of a major political transformation” across eastern India.

In a strongly worded Bengali statement, Bhattacharya said Bihar’s voters had decisively rejected “dynasty politics, corruption, and deception,” choosing instead development, transparency, and stability.

He argued that similar frustrations were simmering in West Bengal, where people had endured recruitment scams, job corruption, illegal coal operations, extortion, and administrative disorder for years.

“Bengal’s youth, women, middle class, and first-time voters are increasingly turning toward the BJP due to visible benefits from central government schemes—ranging from Ujjwala gas connections and Awas Yojana housing to PM-JAY health protection, modernised rail and road infrastructure,” Bhattacharya said.

“Bihar’s victory has sent a clear message—West Bengal will be the centre of the next major political shift in eastern India,” Bhattacharya said, claiming that the state was ready for “a new direction, new leadership, and new trust.”

Former state BJP president and union minister Sukanta Majumdar echoed similar optimism, saying, “Aṅg–Baṅg–Kaliṅga. Odisha is done. Bihar is done. Now it is Bengal’s turn. The people of Bengal also want freedom from jungle raj.”

The Trinamool Congress, however, rejected the BJP’s assertions, calling them misplaced and overconfident.

TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh said the Bihar outcome would have “no impact whatsoever” on West Bengal’s Assembly elections.

“The ground realities in West Bengal are completely different,” Ghosh said.

“Under the leadership of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress continues to enjoy the trust of the people. They know the TMC is their most dependable friend, while the BJP remains their biggest enemy,” he said.

Ghosh said Bengal’s voters would judge the government based on the state’s own development trajectory and political environment, not on electoral trends in neighbouring states.

With the BJP framing Bihar’s verdict as a precursor to West Bengal’s political future, and the Trinamool dismissing such claims as mere rhetoric, the stage is set for an intense and polarised run-up to the 2026 Assembly polls.