BJP will sweep Kolkata, Howrah civic polls like Assembly polls: Dilip Ghosh
Synopsis
West Bengal minister Dilip Ghosh has declared the upcoming Kolkata and Howrah municipal corporation elections a foregone conclusion in BJP's favour, writing off both the TMC and the Left Front in unusually blunt terms. With polls expected as early as late November, his remarks signal the BJP is going all-in on urban Bengal — a battleground it has yet to win decisively.
Key Takeaways
Dilip Ghosh , West Bengal's Panchayat and Rural Development Minister, predicted a BJP landslide in Kolkata and Howrah municipal corporation elections on 24 October .
Polls are expected in the last week of November or first week of December .
Ghosh claimed the Trinamool Congress 'no longer exists' and dismissed the Left Front as 'disillusioned and irrelevant.' He commented on 20 TMC MPs who reportedly joined the NDA , saying they 'don't know what to do.' Ghosh confirmed a government investigation is underway into the Chorebagan Durga Puja stampede that killed 19 people , with the Chief Minister personally monitoring it.
West Bengal Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Dilip Ghosh on Saturday, 24 October predicted a decisive Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) victory in the upcoming municipal corporation elections in Kolkata and Howrah, drawing a direct parallel with the state Assembly elections held earlier this year. Speaking with confidence, Ghosh declared the contests would be 'one-sided' in the BJP's favour.
Ghosh's Key Claims
The Minister was unequivocal in his assessment of the political landscape. He claimed that the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) 'no longer exists' as a meaningful political force and that the Left Front stands no chance of staging a revival in West Bengal.
Ghosh said, 'The results of the municipal corporation elections will also be like the Assembly elections. The Trinamool Congress has only looted. Therefore, the people will not give them a chance anymore. The people of the state do not take any decision without thinking. So there is no point in making tall statements.'
The two civic body polls are expected to be held in the last week of November or the first week of December, according to the Minister.
Sharp Words for the Left Front
Ghosh also turned his attention to the Left Front, dismissing the bloc as 'disillusioned and irrelevant' in contemporary West Bengal politics. Reacting to reports of vandalism targeting Left Front book stalls set up during Durga Puja, the Minister was dismissive rather than sympathetic.
He said, 'Who reads the books of the Left? The era of those books of theirs is over. Only those who are disillusioned read their books... They were reduced to zero (seats) in 2021 Assembly polls. Now they have got one (seat). Be happy with that. Their opportunity is gone long ago. People wiped out the Left 15 years ago.'
On TMC Defectors and BJP's Pitch
Commenting on the 20 MPs who reportedly broke away from the Trinamool Congress to align with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Ghosh was sceptical about their political direction. 'They themselves don't know what to do! Today they are here, tomorrow they are there. The party they came from has no ideology and the party no longer exists,' he said.
He maintained that the people of West Bengal are seeking clean governance and argued that only the BJP can deliver that, positioning the party as the credible alternative ahead of the civic polls.
Stampede Deaths at Durga Puja Pandal
The Minister also addressed the death of 19 people in a stampede at the Chorebagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal. He said the state government is actively investigating the tragedy and noted that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is personally overseeing the matter. 'The state government is quite active, an investigation is underway. The Chief Minister himself is looking into the matter,' Ghosh said.
With civic polls on the horizon, the BJP's aggressive posturing signals an intensifying political battle for control of West Bengal's major urban bodies.
Point of View
Where the TMC's ground machinery remains formidable. Writing off both the TMC and the Left simultaneously is a high-risk rhetorical bet; if the BJP underperforms in Kolkata or Howrah, these remarks will be used against the party. Notably, the 20 NDA-aligned ex-TMC MPs Ghosh dismissed are the very allies his party needs — alienating them before polls is an odd strategic move. The stampede comment, brief and deferential to the Chief Minister, stands out as the one moment Ghosh pulled his punches.
NationPress
24 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Dilip Ghosh predict about the West Bengal municipal corporation elections?
Dilip Ghosh predicted that the BJP will win the upcoming Kolkata and Howrah municipal corporation elections by a landslide, comparing the outcome to the state Assembly elections held earlier this year. He described the contests as 'one-sided' and claimed the TMC no longer poses a credible threat.
When are the Kolkata and Howrah municipal corporation elections expected?
According to Ghosh, the elections are likely to be held in the last week of November or the first week of December. An official schedule has not yet been announced.
What did Ghosh say about the Trinamool Congress and Left Front?
Ghosh claimed the Trinamool Congress 'no longer exists' as a political force and dismissed the Left Front as 'disillusioned and irrelevant,' pointing out that the Left was reduced to zero seats in the 2021 Assembly elections and currently holds just one seat.
What was Ghosh's reaction to the Chorebagan Durga Puja stampede deaths?
Ghosh confirmed that 19 people died in a stampede at the Chorebagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal and said the state government is actively investigating. He noted that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is personally overseeing the matter.
What did Ghosh say about the 20 TMC MPs who joined the NDA?
Ghosh was dismissive of the 20 MPs who reportedly broke from the TMC to join the NDA, saying they 'themselves don't know what to do' and that the party they came from has no ideology and no longer exists.
