Union Home Minister Amit Shah commenced his two-day visit to West Bengal on Saturday night, a politically significant tour that is widely seen as the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) preparatory move for the 2026 Assembly elections.
Touching down at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata at 10.05 pm, Shah was welcomed by an enthusiastic crowd of BJP supporters waving saffron flags and chanting “Swagatam Swagatam”. His arrival was marked by heightened anticipation in party circles, given the backdrop of the BJP’s recent outreach campaign, dubbed 'Operation Sindoor'.
State BJP president Dr Sukanta Majumdar, Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, and senior leaders Agnimitra Paul and Rahul Sinha received Shah at the airport. He then proceeded to a hotel in New Town, where he spent the night before beginning a packed Sunday schedule.
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On Sunday, Shah is set to inaugurate a new facility at the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) and address a high-level meeting of BJP leaders and supporters at Netaji Indoor Stadium. Party sources believe this engagement will see Shah articulate a detailed electoral strategy for 2026, focusing on booth-level consolidation and grassroots mobilisation.
Addressing the press earlier, Dr Majumdar affirmed, “Shah’s visit will provide a clear blueprint for the 2026 elections.” He added that the party’s intensified campaign in the state would be dubbed “Operation Bengal”, aimed at “upholding the honour of Bengal’s women” and bolstering the BJP’s ground presence.
In a symbolic gesture connecting the campaign with Bengal’s cultural pride, Shah will pay homage at the residence of Swami Vivekananda on Simla Street before returning to Delhi on Sunday evening.
The visit has reignited the political friction between the BJP and the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC). TMC Minister Dr Sashi Panja lambasted the BJP’s “Operation Sindoor”, accusing the party of “politicising women’s issues for electoral gain.” She dismissed BJP leaders as “seasonal visitors” who lacked commitment to the state’s ethos.
Shah’s mission in Bengal also carries the weight of an internal organisational review. Speculation is rife over possible changes in state leadership, with Dr Majumdar’s term as state BJP chief recently extended. While no official confirmation has been issued by the party, insiders suggest leadership restructuring is on the table.
Shah has repeatedly pointed BJP’s goal of securing a two-thirds majority in the 2026 Assembly elections. His strategy focuses on galvanising workers to enrol one crore new members in the state, while spotlighting issues such as infiltration, corruption, and women’s safety.
“The BJP stands for a Sonar Bangla. We are working to provide a viable, corruption-free alternative to the people of West Bengal,” Dr Majumdar said.
The visit is not only a litmus test of Shah’s influence in the state, but also of the BJP’s capacity to convert central leadership charisma into grassroots traction—an area where the party has historically faced challenges in Bengal. Whether this visit successfully re
-energises the state cadre remains to be seen, but it has certainly signalled the opening salvo in what promises to be a contentious electoral season.
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