With the BJP and Nitish Kumar alliance securing victory in Bihar as early trends indicated a favourable mandate, Union minister Giriraj Singh on Friday turned his political gaze eastwards.
Barely hours after the numbers began tilting towards the NDA, Mr Singh declared that the party’s next objective would be West Bengal—setting off a fresh political flashpoint between the BJP and the Trinamul Congress ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. Buoyed by what he called the “clear fragrance of victory” in Bihar, Mr Singh asserted, “We are winning Bihar. Our next target is West Bengal.” His remark, delivered with characteristic bluntness, was immediately interpreted by the TMC as the BJP’s attempt to mount an early psychological offensive in Bengal. But the ruling party in the state was quick to dismiss the chest-thumping. TMC spokesperson Jay Prakash Majumdar retorted sharply: “He was in Bihar and he has won in Bihar. He has never been in Bengal, nor will he be in the future. The BJP should understand this. Bengal is not Bihar.”
If the political exchanges stopped at electoral arithmetic, the matter might have ended there. Instead, the discourse deepened after senior TMC leader and West Bengal minister Dr Shashi Panja launched a blistering counter-attack, accusing the BJP of harbouring “deep-rooted hatred” for the people of Bengal. Referring to past remarks made by Mr Singh—where he allegedly described Bengalis as “Bangladeshi” and “Rohingya” — Dr Panja said the Union minister’s comments were “a disgraceful attempt to malign an entire community.” She argued that such rhetoric sought to paint every Bengali as a foreign intruder, ignoring the state’s historic role in India’s freedom struggle.
“While Giriraj’s party bowed before British imperialists, Bengal’s revolutionaries embraced martyrdom with courage,” she said. “This sacred land, marked by the sacrifices of its sons and daughters, is now being insulted by questioning our very identity. His slur against Bengal’s democratically elected government, chosen by our Gonodebota, is unacceptable.” Dr Panja further accused the BJP of consistently revealing its “Bangla-Birodhi face” through a series of statements by its leaders and agencies. Citing examples, she said: “Amit Shah’s Delhi Police once described Bengali as a ‘Bangladeshi language’.”
“They reflect a mindset that disrespects our culture, our identity and our people,” she added.
Issuing a stern warning, Dr Panja declared: “Every insult you hurl, every lie you spread, is recorded in Bengal’s memory. In 2026, the people of Bengal will rise like a tidal wave, crushing arrogance and rejecting hate. Those who trample on our pride will face a united Bengal’s wrath.”