BJP eyes migrant Bengali voters, says strategy could be ‘game-changer’ in Bengal

The Bharatiya Janata Party has begun implementing a new electoral strategy ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections, focusing on Bengalis living outside the state as a potential decisive vote base. Drawing inspiration from what it describes as the “Bihar–Punjab model,” the party aims to mobilize migrant workers and professionals to return to West Bengal on polling day, believing their participation could significantly alter the political landscape.

According to party sources, the strategy mirrors how the Rashtriya Janata Dal in Bihar mobilised out-of-state Biharis to return home for voting, and how the Aam Aadmi Party consolidated support among Punjabis living outside the state during the 2017 and 2022 Assembly elections. The BJP now estimates that nearly 7 million Bengalis are living in states such as Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, and considers them a key demographic in the electoral calculus.

State BJP president Shamik Bhattacharya is currently touring Gujarat, where over 2.5 lakh Bengalis are engaged in industries such as diamond and zari work in Surat. He said several community organisations there have expressed a desire for political change in Bengal. Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar added that the outreach extends beyond registered voters, encouraging migrant families to communicate development-related messages to relatives back home. The party has also assured that it will bear travel expenses for those unable to afford the journey to vote.

BJP leaders are holding meetings across multiple states and coordinating with companies and institutions to facilitate leave for employees traveling to cast their votes. Responsibilities have been distributed among party leaders for outreach in different regions, with efforts underway in Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Bihar and Maharashtra. Local BJP units are assisting in mobilization efforts.

The number of migrant Bengalis has become a subject of political debate, with varying estimates from different quarters. While figures differ, the BJP maintains that the migrant population is substantial enough to influence electoral outcomes. Party leaders believe that consolidating this demographic could play a decisive role against the Mamata government in the forthcoming Assembly elections.