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Addressing the Legislature Party meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Kolkata on 08 May 2026, Union Home and Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah described the BJP’s historic victory in West Bengal as not merely an electoral triumph, but the beginning of a new era for the state. Speaking before the newly elected BJP legislators, Shri Shah said the overwhelming mandate reflected the aspirations of the people of Bengal for democracy, development, security, and freedom from decades of political violence and fear.
Shri Shah said seeing such a large number of BJP MLAs in Bengal fills every nationalist with immense joy and pride. He expressed heartfelt gratitude to the people of the state for placing their trust in Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and the BJP despite years of intimidation, violence, and suppression of democratic voices. According to him, Bengal had endured decades of ideological domination first under communist rule and later under the Trinamool Congress, where freedom of expression became increasingly difficult. Yet, the people displayed extraordinary courage and gave the BJP a resounding mandate.
The dream of “Sonar Bangla
Invoking the timeless words of Rabindranath Tagore — “Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high” — Shri Shah said Bengal has now embarked on a historic journey toward realizing that vision. He remarked that the state, once celebrated for its intellectual, cultural, and spiritual leadership, had suffered years of economic decline, lawlessness, and political intimidation. The BJP government, he asserted, would now work tirelessly to restore Bengal’s lost glory and fulfil the dream of “Sonar Bangla.”
Victory historically significant
Calling the victory historically significant, Shri Shah said the BJP’s ideological journey, which began under the leadership of Syama Prasad Mookerjee in 1950, had reached a defining milestone in 2026 with the formation of a BJP government in his home state. He recalled that while the abrogation of Article 370 had fulfilled one long-cherished dream, the rise of the saffron flag in Bengal remained another emotional aspiration for BJP workers across the nation.
BJP’s remarkable rise in Bengal
Shri Shah traced the BJP’s remarkable rise in Bengal, from opening its account in a by-election in 2014, to winning 3 seats in 2016, 77 seats in 2021, and finally securing a massive mandate of 207 seats in 2026. He described this journey as inspiring yet deeply painful, remembering the sacrifice of 321 BJP karyakartas who lost their lives during years of political violence. He paid homage to these workers, saying their sacrifices strengthened both the party and national security.
Highlighting the strategic significance of the BJP’s victory, he stated that with BJP governments now in Assam, Tripura, and Bengal, infiltration and cow smuggling would be effectively curbed. He asserted that Bengal would become a strong bastion of national security and development. Referring to the record voter turnout and peaceful conduct of elections, he congratulated the Election Commission, CAPFs, polling officials, and police personnel for ensuring violence-free polls in a state historically associated with electoral unrest.
Would end corruption
Shri Shah assured the people that the BJP government would end corruption, syndicate culture, hooliganism, and politicization of administration. He promised that women’s security, civilian safety, industrial growth, modern agriculture, and infrastructure development would become top priorities. With BJP governments both at the Centre and in the state, he declared, Bengal’s development could no longer be obstructed. Shri Shah said the BJP government would strive to restore Bengal’s leadership in art, culture, literature, education, and economic progress, making true once again the famous words of Gopal Krishna Gokhale: “What Bengal thinks today, India thinks tomorrow.”