Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) “next big target” to establish a government in West Bengal in the 2026 Assembly elections, accusing the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government of “state-sponsored infiltration.” Shah delivered the statement while launching BJP’s membership drive in Kolkata.
During the event, Shah emphasized the BJP’s commitment to expanding its membership, setting a goal of enrolling one crore members. Reflecting on the BJP’s growth from the Bharatiya Jana Sangh founded by Syama Prasad Mukherjee, Shah expressed confidence in Bengal’s BJP workers to meet the target, adding, “Today, we are the world’s largest political party.”
Shah highlighted issues related to infiltration, coal, and cow smuggling along Bengal’s borders, advocating a BJP-led government as the solution to tackle these concerns. “This is a border state, and with the state-level support for infiltration, a BJP government in 2026 is the only answer,” he said.
Referring to the recent RG Kar rape-murder case, Shah criticized the Mamata Banerjee-led government for its handling of women’s safety issues. He cited cases like Sandeshkhali, stating, “The dignity of mothers and sisters is at risk in Bengal. We will put an end to this with a two-thirds majority in 2026.”
Shah responded to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s claims that the central government did not support Bengal financially. Citing figures, Shah stated that from 2004 to 2014, the UPA allocated Rs 2.9 lakh crore to Bengal, while the NDA government provided Rs 7.74 lakh crore from 2014 to 2024.
Actor Mithun Chakraborty was honored at the membership drive, and BJP leader Roopa Ganguly shared that the drive is a regular initiative. Following the event, BJP leader Dilip Ghosh expressed confidence in reaching the membership goal, stating, “We enrolled over 88 lakh members last time. We aim to exceed one crore this year.”
In addition to the membership drive, Shah inaugurated the Passenger Terminal building and Maitri Dwar at the Petrapole Land Port in West Bengal, which is the largest in South Asia and a major trade route between India and Bangladesh. Established under a bilateral agreement, the Maitri Dwar is a joint cargo gate at the India-Bangladesh zero line, supporting trade and passenger movement.
