With the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections approaching, the BJP has quietly shifted gears from its earlier polarising rhetoric to a more calibrated Muslim outreach strategy. This marks a significant departure from its previous electoral approach in a state where Muslims make up nearly 30% of the population and influence outcomes in over 100 Assembly seats.
1. Recognising Past Electoral Gaps
In both the 2021 Assembly polls and the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP struggled to penetrate Muslim-majority regions. Despite gains in other demographic segments, the party realised that a near-complete loss of Muslim votes limited its ability to cross the final threshold needed to challenge the TMC effectively.
2. The TMC’s Strong Grip on Minority Votes
Mamata Banerjee has consistently secured overwhelming support from the Muslim community through welfare schemes, representation in government, and targeted local-level outreach. The BJP understands that without denting this monopoly — even marginally — its electoral arithmetic remains unfavorable.
3. Local Influencers and Clerics Becoming Key
The BJP is now engaging with:
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Muslim community leaders
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Clerics from smaller mosques
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Local organisations in rural and semi-urban pockets
This outreach avoids larger religious bodies historically critical of the party, focusing instead on grassroots influencers who can shift perceptions more subtly.
4. Focus on Development Over Identity Rhetoric
The party’s recent messaging in Bengal has emphasised:
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Employment opportunities
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Infrastructure expansion
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Welfare delivery
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Law-and-order issues
By presenting development as a universal rather than religiously segmented offering, the BJP aims to neutralise fears and reduce the association of the party with hardline Hindutva in the state.
5. Correcting the ‘Image Problem’
Internally, the BJP acknowledges that its image among Bengali Muslims is shaped by:
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Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) concerns
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NRC anxieties
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Past campaign speeches seen as polarising
The new strategy attempts to soften this image by highlighting local Muslim leaders within the party and giving them more visibility.
6. Preparing for a Close Contest
With the CPI(M) and Congress showing signs of revival in selected pockets, the BJP sees an opportunity: even a small shift in Muslim votes away from TMC could create tight triangular contests in several constituencies. This could be decisive in districts like Maldah, Murshidabad, North Dinajpur, and parts of South Bengal.
7. A Long-Term Investment
The BJP’s leaders argue that the outreach isn’t just for 2026 — it’s about building a long-term presence in a state where identity politics has traditionally worked against them. The party wants to appear more inclusive to counter accusations that it caters only to Hindu majoritarian sentiments.
The BJP’s Muslim outreach in Bengal is a pragmatic political recalibration aimed at:
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reducing resistance among a crucial demographic,
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softening its image, and
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increasing competitiveness in a state where winning requires cross-community appeal.
It signals that the 2026 battle will not just be ideological — it will be deeply strategic, fought at the booth level through fine-tuned social engineering rather than broad communal narratives.
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