NABIN'S BENGAL VISIT RAISES BJP HOPES

In an attempt to counter perceptions of the BJ Pas an outsider in Bengal’s identity-driven politics, Nabin invoked iconic Bengali figures like Rabindranath Tagore, Swami Vivekananda, Satyajit Ray, and others.

- SUPROTIM MUKHERJEE

In a move signalling the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) heightened focus on West Bengal, newly appointed National President Nitin Nabin embarked on a two-day visit to the State on January 27-28, his first official tour since assuming the party’s top post on January 20.

At 45, Nabin, a Bihar native and the youngest BJP president in history, chose the poll-bound State to kickstart his nationwide engagements, underscoring Bengal’s strategic importance in the party’s national ambitions.

This visit came amid intensifying preparations for the West Bengal Assembly elections, expected later in 2026, where the BJP aims to dislodge the Trinamool Congress (TMC) after a mixed performance in recent years.

Nabin’s itinerary bypassed Kolkata, the State's political epicentre, opting instead for Durgapur and Asansol in the southwestern Rarh Bengal region—a deliberate choice reflecting the BJP’s targeted outreach.

Upon landing at Andal airport on January 27, he was greeted by enthusiastic party workers and state leaders, including Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari. The visit commenced with the inauguration of the ‘Kamal Mela’ in Durgapur, a cultural fair promoting local arts and businesses, where Nabin emphasized Bengal’s role in achieving a ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India) by 2047.