Amit Shah likely to set base in Bengal ahead of polls: Sources

In a strategic move ahead of the 26th West Bengal assembly elections, Union Home Minister Amit Shah is reportedly planning to establish a temporary base in Bengal, signaling a heightened focus from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to win the state. This marks a shift from his previous frequent visits, with sources indicating that Shah intends to rent a house in Bengal once the Bihar assembly elections conclude, allowing him to directly oversee and strategize the party's campaign from within the state.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have been prominent figures in Bengal's political landscape, especially during election campaigning. Their frequent visits have often been met with mixed reactions, but this new approach of Shah setting up a semi-permanent residence highlights the BJP's serious intent to make inroads and challenge the Trinamool Congress (TMC)'s dominance in the upcoming 2026 elections.

The Bihar election process is expected to wrap up by November 2025, by which time Bengal's Durga Puja season will also be over. This period is seen as the perfect window for political parties to kickstart their full-fledged campaigns for the assembly elections. According to BJP sources, Shah's decision to set up a base in Bengal immediately after the Bihar elections is precisely to leverage this crucial period for intensive strategizing and groundwork.

The BJP has long harbored ambitions of securing power in Bengal. Despite their strong campaign in the 2021 Ekushey elections, the Trinamool Congress, led by Mamata Banerjee, secured a comfortable third term, winning over 200 seats. However, the BJP leadership remains confident, asserting that this time the people of Bengal will bid farewell to the Trinamool, citing growing anti-incumbency sentiments against the current government.

Amit Shah has been vocal about the BJP's aspirations for Bengal. On June 8, he boldly stated at a meeting in Tamil Nadu that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would form governments in both Tamil Nadu and Bengal in 2026. More recently, in an interview with an all-India media outlet, Shah remarked, "I have not been to Bengal recently. However, the institutional opposition against Mamata ji is quite intense. Our party is the only one that is benefiting from it. We have only gone from 3 to 77 in Bengal. Anyone who understands numbers will understand this trend. After ruling for 34 years, the Left is at zero. After ruling for 30 years, the Congress is also at zero." This underscores the BJP's belief in a strong underlying current of support and a declining opposition in the state.