BJP observers in city to meet state senior leaders
The Statesman | 5 October 2025Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav and former Tripura chief minister Biplab Deb, both appointed as central observers for Bengal, arrived in the city Friday to hold a series of organisational meetings. The two leaders landed at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport shortly after noon, where they were received by state BJP president Shamik Bhattacharya. Over the next two days, they are scheduled to meet the party’s top state leadership to assess organisational strength and finalise strategies. Party insiders said Yadav, the chief election observer, and Deb, the co-observer, have been tasked with drawing up a roadmap to bolster BJP’s campaign machinery ahead of the polls.
Their visit comes close on the heels of Union home minister Amit Shah’s Durga Puja trip to Kolkata, during which he laid out the party’s initial electoral blueprint. Political observers say the BJP’s decision to send high-profile central leaders underscores its intent to leave no stone unturned in challenging the ruling Trinamul Congress (TMC), which has already launched grassroots outreach programs such as neighborhood “Bijoya Sammilani” gatherings following the Puja festivities. The BJP has in the past relied on central leaders to oversee Bengal campaigns. In 2021, while no formal observers were appointed, leaders like Shiv Prakash and Kailash Vijayvargiya played key roles in coordinating the campaign.
Yadav, too, was involved at that time, though his responsibilities have expanded significantly this election cycle. The flurry of activity signals that the political battle lines are being drawn immediately after the state’s biggest festival. For both the BJP and TMC, the run-up to the 2026 polls is already underway, with organisational muscle and leadership outreach shaping what is expected to be another fiercely contested election in West Bengal.
