Amit Shah says Bengal to undergo polls in April 2026; claims two-thirds majority

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, during a press conference at 'Bangabhumi', made a significant political announcement regarding the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. Shah declared that the polls would take place in April 2026 and expressed absolute confidence that the BJP would form the government with a two-thirds majority. He highlighted the party's growth in the state, noting its journey from securing just 3 seats to 77 seats in previous assembly elections. However, his announcement of the election timeline ahead of any official notification from the Election Commission has sparked a fresh political debate regarding constitutional propriety.

Tracing the BJP's trajectory in Bengal from 2014 to 2024, Shah presented a detailed statistical breakdown to boost cadre morale. He noted that the party's vote share rose from 17% in 2014 to a peak of 41% in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Despite a slight dip to 38% in the 2021 Assembly elections and 39% in the 2024 General elections, Shah maintained that the people of Bengal are now "determined to bring good governance." He used these figures to argue that the mathematical trend is firmly in favor of a BJP takeover in the upcoming 2026 battle.

A major portion of Shah’s address was dedicated to the issue of national security and illegal infiltration. He asserted that infiltration through the Bengal border is not just a state issue but a threat to the entire nation's security. "Bring a government so strong that not even a bird can enter Bengal illegally," he urged the audience. To strike an emotional chord with the electorate, he began his speech by invoking the legacy of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, reminding the crowd that on this day in 1943, Netaji first hoisted the flag of independent India in Port Blair.

Launching a scathing attack on the ruling Trinamool Congress over 'syndicate raj', Shah promised a cultural and economic revival of the state. He claimed that after the BJP forms the government on April 15, 2026, there would be a "renaissance of Bengal's pride and culture." He vowed to build a "Sonar Bangla" (Golden Bengal) envisioned by luminaries like Swami Vivekananda, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, Rabindranath Tagore, and Syama Prasad Mookerjee. The Home Minister's visit has clearly set the stage for an intense, long-drawn electoral battle in the state.