People will end TMC’s arrogance in 2026: BJP state president
The Statesman | 16 November 2025
State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya on Saturday said that the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections would be the last election of chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s political career.
Speaking to reporters in Siliguri, Mr Bhattacharya said: “Even if the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is stopped or the offices of the CBI and ED in Kolkata are shut down, people will still dislodge the Trinamul Congress. Whether the SIR takes place or not, the TMC will not be able to escape the curse of the people this time. Over the past 14 years, people have realised the extent of corruption under TMC rule, especially after multiple scams, including the teachers’ recruitment scam.”
After landing at Bagdogra Airport earlier in the day, he claimed that the people of Bengal would “seize the TMC’s arrogance and misuse of power,” drawing a parallel with the recent election results in Bihar.
Mr Bhattacharya was in Siliguri to attend Rozgar Mela 2, organised by the Darjeeling Welfare Society, under the leadership of Rajya Sabha member Harsh Vardhan Shringla. During his visit, he also paid tribute to Birsa Munda at Patharghata and attended an SIR awareness camp in the city.
Addressing the Rojgar Mela, he raised concerns about national security in the wake of the recent blast in Delhi. He warned that Siliguri, considered the gateway to the north-eastern states, was also vulnerable. Citing arrests from north Bengal districts on charges of involvement in subversive activities, he urged people to remain vigilant, arguing that the region is increasingly being used as a transit point by anti-national elements.
He also touched upon the issues of unemployment and economic stagnation in West Bengal, alleging that state’s historic pride and glory have been steadily eroding over the past few decades.
Significantly, Mr Bhattacharya personally filled out SIR forms for several local residents at the BJP’s camp. Meanwhile, booth-level officers (BLOs) continued their agitation at Dinabandhu Manch in Siliguri today, leading to the postponement of their scheduled training programme.tj