'Hindutva Takes Root Among Bengalis': Bangladesh Media Rattled By BJP's Win In West Bengal Elections

Kolkata: The results of the West Bengal Assembly elections were declared on Monday, May 4. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured a resounding victory by winning over 200 seats - a figure significantly higher than the majority mark of 148. The BJP's victory in West Bengal has sparked considerable concern in neighboring Bangladesh, which shares a border with the state. Media outlets there are providing live updates on the elections and analyzing the implications of a potential BJP victory.

A comprehensive analytical article has been published in 'Prothom Alo', a prominent local newspaper in Bangladesh, titled: "West Bengal Elections: Not Just the State's, But the Future of the Indian Republic Is Also at Stake."

The article states: "This year's West Bengal Assembly elections will be remembered in the annals of Indian electoral history for two primary reasons. First, the 'Special Intensive Revision' (SIR) of the voter list, which resulted in a large number of people being stripped of their right to vote. And second, the unprecedented deployment of central forces aimed at ensuring a violence-free election."

Has the BJP Victory Marked a Milestone for the Party?

The article posits that if the BJP emerges victorious in Bengal, it would constitute a major milestone for the party. Such a victory would mark the BJP's triumph in a state that has historically been considered a difficult terrain to conquer (the other two being Tamil Nadu and Kerala). If this victory is achieved, it will likely be driven by a strategy of Hindutva-based polarization. This would demonstrate that the Hindutva ideology of the 'Hindi Belt' has now taken deep root in the Bengali psyche as well—a demographic long identified with a syncretic Hindu tradition.

The article further notes: "While a BJP victory could pave the way for large-scale industrialization within the state and facilitate increased funding from the Central government, it could simultaneously pose an existential threat to the Trinamool Congress."

The Bangladeshi newspaper observes that, lacking a robust ideological foundation comparable to that of the Left, the critical question remains: how long will the party be able to survive in the aftermath of an electoral defeat? Just as the Trinamool managed to enlist grassroots workers from the Left during the Singur-Nandigram agitation, will those very workers defect to the BJP in the event of a defeat? Such a shift could further expose the party's internal vulnerabilities.

Did Bangladeshi Newspapers Questions Election Commission?

Alleged irregularities regarding the West Bengal elections are also being discussed within the Bangladeshi media. An opinion piece published in 'The Daily Star' observed: "India's Election Commission has historically upheld a glorious tradition. However, it would not be incorrect to state that the Election Commission of today has lost its luster. The process of a 'Special Intensive Review' (SIR)—intended to update voter lists—appears sound in principle; yet, the manner in which it was implemented in West Bengal has alienated a significant number of voters."

According to Election Commission data, approximately 9.1 million names were initially struck off the voter lists following the SIR. The SIR is a procedural exercise designed to scrutinize the lists by purging ineligible, duplicate, or suspect entries.

However, numerous instances have surfaced where individuals' names were allegedly removed erroneously. In some cases, husbands and children were listed as voters while their wives were not; in others, individuals who had served in the armed forces for years found their names deleted from the list. Shockingly, even family members of renowned figures—such as Netaji Subhash Bose and Nandalal Bose—were informed that they would be ineligible to cast their votes.

What Did the Bangladeshi Newspaper Say Regarding the Minority Issue?

The Bangladeshi newspaper article further noted: "The issue of Muslims has also featured prominently in the BJP's election campaign. Leader Suvendu Adhikari frequently asserts that West Bengal is home to approximately 10 million Bangladeshi Muslims and Rohingyas. While this figure is substantial, the question remains: where are they? Furthermore, why would they choose to migrate specifically to West Bengal—a state from which its own residents are migrating to other states in search of employment? Despite this extensive exercise, the Election Commission failed to identify a single 'infiltrator' throughout this entire process—a category of individuals Prime Minister Modi has frequently alluded to in his speeches."

The article, however, also includes criticism directed at the Trinamool Congress. The article stated, "The Trinamool Congress, too, has its own vulnerabilities. It has consistently faced allegations of extortion, large-scale corruption, and political conspiracies."

Another Bangladeshi newspaper, 'The Financial Express', reported that the Trinamool Congress is heading toward defeat in West Bengal. The newspaper writes, "West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who has held this office for nearly 15 years, is now facing a formidable challenge as her party trails in the vote count. Early trends indicate a shift in the state's political landscape."

Will BJP Write a New Chapter in West Bengal Politics?

The Bangladeshi newspaper *Daily Ittefaq* has unequivocally declared that the BJP has already secured victory in Bengal. The newspaper headlined its report: "Despite Trailing Mamata in Bhabanipur, BJP Forms Government in West Bengal."

The newspaper observes, "The BJP stands on the verge of writing a new chapter in the political history of West Bengal—a development that could mark the end of the Trinamool Congress's decade-and-a-half-long rule. According to the latest data from the Election Commission, BJP workers across the state have already begun celebrating their victory."

The newspaper further notes, "However, in the high-profile constituency of Bhabanipur, Mamata Banerjee currently maintains the lead. Following the sixth round of vote counting, she is ahead of her BJP rival, Suvendu Adhikari, by a margin of 7,200 votes. Nevertheless, Suvendu remains undeterred by this outcome. He asserts that, thus far, only votes from the specific locality considered to be Mamata's core vote bank have been tallied, and that the results in the upcoming rounds will completely shift in favor of the BJP."