New Bengal BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya emphasises harmony, slams TMC over jobs and security
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In a shift from the party’s earlier rhetoric, newly appointed West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya on Thursday asserted that the BJP is not against Muslims.
He said he envisions a peaceful Bengal where Muharram and Durga Puja processions can take place side by side without communal clashes.
Addressing party workers after officially assuming leadership, Bhattacharya said, “BJP’s fight is not against Muslims. Those who hold stones in their hands, the BJP wants to replace the stones with books. We want a Bengal where Muharram and Durga Puja visarjan processions can go side by side without any riots taking place.”
The Rajya Sabha MP used his inaugural speech to outline the BJP’s rise in the state, stating, “From two MLAs to now 303, people of Bengal have given us a special place. People of Bengal have understood that it is the BJP that can defeat the TMC.”
Bhattacharya criticised the Mamata Banerjee-led government for failing to generate employment and ensure safety, saying, “People of Bengal want their family, who are migrant labourers, to return home. Over 17,000 people have lost their jobs under this government. They are on the streets. Once the BJP comes to power, no migrant labour will have to leave the state.”
He also pledged justice for victims of the post-2021 election violence, declaring, “No one will be spared. They will be brought to justice even from patal lok (underworld) once the BJP comes to power in the state.” He termed the upcoming 2026 Assembly polls not just an election, but “a fight for Bengal,” and stressed that the people want “mukti” (liberation) from the TMC regime.
Acknowledging internal rifts in the party, Bhattacharya called for unity and mutual respect between veteran and new leaders, noting, “The old must make space for the entry of new, and the new generation must understand the struggle they endured when the BJP had no foothold in Bengal… This fight can in no way be one-sided anymore. Fight the war. The 2026 election is about TMC’s visarjan.”
Outgoing BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar described the leadership transition as a “relay race,” adding, “This is a continuous relay race… Rahul Sinha, then Dilip Ghosh, then me, and now Samik Bhattacharya. I feel honoured today… We will continue to fight to uproot Mamata Banerjee’s government… Be ready to retaliate and fight back in 2026, unlike 2021 when the BJP was attacked. Don’t get hit this time.”
However, Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari adopted a more aggressive tone, urging consolidation of Hindu votes. Avoiding mention of rival BJP leader Dilip Ghosh, he said, “This minority appeaser, corrupt government should be uprooted. No woman is safe. Kanya bachao, Mamata Bhagao (Save girls, oust Mamata)… Hindu bachao, Mamata bhagao (Save Hindus, oust Mamata). Hindu jaago… badla amay nite hobe (wake up Hindus… we have to avenge).”
Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad lauded Bhattacharya as a “great communicator,” stating, “Under his leadership, the 2026 Assembly election will be fought. It might be surprising for other political parties, but the BJP is not a family party. BJP as a party is a family… We want a BJP government in Bengal so that people can live safely.”
Bhattacharya, 61, began his political journey with the RSS in 1971 before joining the BJP. Known for his oratory, he has held various key positions within the party, including three terms as state general secretary. He briefly served as an MLA after winning the Basirhat Dakshin bypoll in 2014 and was nominated to the Rajya Sabha last year.