'Mandir-Masjid' Issues Won't Decide Votes, Says BJP's Dilip Ghosh

Kolkata: Senior BJP leader and former West Bengal unit chief Dilip Ghosh on Thursday said that "mandir-masjid" issues do not influence election results. His comments came after a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and they have sparked fresh discussion within the party about strategy ahead of the 2026 West Bengal assembly polls.

Did Ghosh challenge the party line?

Ghosh questioned the long-standing belief that religious issues automatically sway voters. He pointed to the BJP's defeat in the Faizabad Lok Sabha seat in 2024 despite the high-profile Ram Mandir project in Ayodhya. "Mandir-masjid issues do not impact poll results,” he said, suggesting that voters care more about everyday concerns than communal themes.

“I will do what the party tells me. If I am asked to contest polls I will,” Ghosh said in the news conference on Thursday.

Without naming anyone, Ghosh said recent entrants into the West Bengal BJP must prove their worth rather than counting on identity politics.

He said, "Everyone is a worker in BJP. Recent entrants have to prove their identity."

What about internal tensions in Bengal BJP?

Ghosh's critique has exposed existing rifts in the state BJP unit. Some party members are pushing for a sharper focus on development issues and local voter concerns, while others prefer traditional themes that have worked elsewhere. His willingness to openly question strategy signals a growing debate over how best to challenge Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress.

Before the news conference, Ghosh met state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya and also sought permission from the state leadership to campaign in his home turf, Kharagpur, for three days from Saturday. He has expressed frustration about being sidelined but said he still has confidence in the party’s central leadership.

"Baseless, agenda-driven theories were floated and I was isolated. I have told the central brass this. I am not afraid of getting lost. I have faith in them," he said.

What's next for BJP in Bengal?

The BJP is gearing up for a major push in West Bengal. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to hold a rally in North Bengal later this month, and Amit Shah is likely to visit Kolkata by month’s end. Former BJP national chief JP Nadda is also due in the state as part of the pre-poll mobilisation.