BJP plans counter rally on July 21 to challenge Trinamool’s Shaheed Diwas show

The political heat in West Bengal is set to rise sharply on July 21, as the BJP gears up to counter the Trinamool Congress’s annual Martyrs' Day rally in Dharmatala with a show of its own. While Mamata Banerjee’s party has been holding this symbolic rally since the 1990s, this year the Bengal BJP seems keen on disrupting the TMC’s solo dominance of the day.

Senior BJP leaders have reportedly begun internal discussions to stage a parallel event to match the Trinamool rally’s scale and visibility. A section of the party believes that the BJP must occupy equal space in the political narrative and media coverage, coining what’s internally referred to as a “half-screen” strategy — aiming to share the public and media attention on the politically charged day.

Though no final decision has been announced publicly, party insiders claim that the plan may include rallies or large-scale public meetings in other key parts of the state, particularly to energize the cadre before the 2026 assembly elections. The BJP's core idea is to project itself as the primary challenger to the Trinamool, even on a day considered exclusive to Mamata Banerjee’s political legacy.

As Trinamool sharpens its preparations for its flagship rally, the stage appears set for a symbolic confrontation on Bengal’s political battleground.