No jibes at Mamata: BJP shifts from personality to issues ahead of Bengal polls

After West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) too has begun recalibrating its strategy for the upcoming Assembly elections that are likely to take place around mid-May to June next year.

- TIKAM SHARMA

Sources suggest that having reflected on the lessons from its previous defeat, the BJP is preparing to enter the fray with a more measured, calculated, and systematic approach. This time, the party has resolved to steer clear of personal remarks against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and instead focus on highlighting what it calls the failures of the TMC government, corruption scandals, and the worsening law and order situation in the state.

In the last Assembly elections, the BJP's campaign narrative had largely revolved around Mamata Banerjee herself. During that period, several senior party leaders, including top BJP leaders made sharp personal comments about the TMC supremo—a strategy that did not resonate well with Bengal's voters. According to political observers, such personal attacks, especially directed at a woman Chief Minister proved counterproductive, generating a wave of sympathy for her.

This shift in sentiments ultimately bolstered her image and significantly contributed to the Trinamool Congress's sweeping victory.

Determined not to repeat the same mistake, the BJP has instructed its leaders to refrain from any personal criticism of Mamata Banerjee. Instead, the party will build its campaign narrative around what it terms the "governance failures" of the TMC administrationfocusing on corruption, administrative lapses, and the crumbling law and order machinery across Bengal. Among these, corruption will be placed at the centre of the BJP's electoral strategy.