‘Mamata Banerjee’s politics fuelled BJP growth in Bengal’: Rahul Gandhi

As West Bengal went to polls in the first phase on Thursday, Gandhi also attacked the BJP for its alleged divisive politics, which he said was fuelled by Banerjee, who heads the Trinamool Congress (TMC).

‘BJP Works Against Bengal’s Culture’: Rahul Gandhi

In a video message, Gandhi said, “The BJP works against Bengal’s culture, history and the Bengali language. Its leaders push the idea of ‘One Nation, One Language, One Religion’, but India is a land of many languages, diverse people, multiple religions and varied ideologies.”

Rahul Gandhi’s Criticism of Mamata Banerjee

Gandhi launched a direct attack on the West Bengal Chief Minister, alleging that her governance and alleged polarising politics had weakened the state politically.

He said, “If Mamata-ji had run an orderly government and had not polarised West Bengal, there would have been no space for the BJP to grow.”

He further added that the Congress remains the only party capable of effectively challenging the BJP nationally.

Earlier Campaign Remarks Against TMC

Earlier during his campaign for the Congress in West Bengal, Gandhi had made a rare direct attack on the TMC, alleging that the party has failed on multiple fronts since coming to power in 2011.

He accused the TMC of weakening the state’s industrial base, contributing to rising unemployment, and worsening law and order conditions.

The Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition also intensified his criticism over crimes against women, citing the RG Kar rape and murder case.

Why This Matters

The remarks are politically significant as the Congress is contesting the Assembly elections alone in West Bengal for the first time since 2011.

Despite being allies at the national level under the INDIA bloc against the BJP led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, relations between the Congress and TMC have remained strained in the state.

Political observers suggest the Congress could improve its performance in regions such as Malda, Murshidabad, and Dinajpur—traditional strongholds where the TMC made significant inroads in the 2021 Assembly elections.