BJP's 'Loktantra Bachao' rally hits Kolkata as Locket Chatterjee rallies for democracy
Synopsis
The BJP has turned the SIR electoral-roll controversy into a full-scale street campaign in West Bengal, with National President Nitin Nabin personally leading a 'Save Democracy' march from College Street to Esplanade in Kolkata — and Locket Chatterjee framing the Opposition's pushback as the work of 'anti-national forces'. An 800-location second phase is set to follow after Diwali.
Key Takeaways
BJP leader Locket Chatterjee called for nationwide unity to protect democracy on 2 November 2026 in Kolkata .
BJP National President Nitin Nabin led the 'Loktantra Bachao, Arajakta Hatao' rally from College Street to Esplanade , central Kolkata.
Follow-up rallies are planned in Howrah and Siliguri on 3 November .
A second campaign phase begins 11 November , targeting 800 locations across West Bengal with at least 10,000 participants each.
The campaign is a direct response to Opposition protests over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
BJP leader Locket Chatterjee on Monday, 2 November 2026, urged citizens across India to unite in defence of democracy, setting the stage for the party's 'Loktantra Bachao, Arajakta Hatao' (Save Democracy, Eliminate Anarchy) rally in Kolkata. The call came as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) intensified its nationwide campaign against Opposition protests over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Locket Chatterjee's Appeal
"The campaign is underway across the country. Our National President held a programme in Haryana yesterday and will also hold one in Bhagalpur today before arriving here. Across the country, we want everyone to come forward to protect democracy, rising above political differences," Chatterjee said.
She further alleged that 'anti-national forces' were attempting to consolidate support for their own interests. "That is why we must stand together and support one another," she added. The remarks signal an escalation in the BJP's political framing of the SIR controversy — casting the Opposition's objections not merely as electoral dissent, but as a challenge to democratic order itself.
BJP National President Leads Kolkata March
BJP National President Nitin Nabin was scheduled to fly into Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport from Patna shortly after 2 pm on Monday and proceed directly to College Street to lead the rally. The march was set to conclude at Esplanade in central Kolkata. Whether Nabin would address the crowd at the concluding point remained unclear at the time of reporting.
According to the BJP, the protests against the SIR have been spearheaded by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) and backed by the Congress-led INDIA Bloc and other Opposition parties — a characterisation the Opposition has not accepted.
A Two-Phase Campaign Across West Bengal
The Kolkata rally marks the start of an extended BJP push across West Bengal. State BJP vice-president Prabal Raha confirmed that similar rallies would follow in Howrah and Siliguri in Darjeeling district on 3 November.
A second phase of the campaign is scheduled to begin on 11 November, after Kali Puja and Diwali. The party plans to organise marches at 800 locations across the state, with at least 10,000 participants at each location, Raha said. The scale of the mobilisation, if realised, would constitute one of the BJP's largest grassroots drives in Bengal outside of an election cycle.
The SIR Controversy in Context
The Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls has drawn criticism from several Opposition parties, who allege procedural irregularities. The BJP, however, contends that the protests are politically motivated and designed to undermine a legitimate electoral exercise. This comes amid broader tensions in West Bengal, where the BJP and the ruling All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) remain locked in sustained political rivalry. Monday's rally represents the BJP's sharpest ground-level response yet to what it terms organised disruption of the voter-roll revision process.
Point of View
With the Opposition cast as the aggressor. Labelling rivals as 'anti-national forces' raises the rhetorical stakes well beyond an electoral-rolls dispute. The 800-location, 10,000-participant second phase signals this is as much a Bengal assembly groundwork exercise as it is a response to the SIR row. What the coverage has underplayed is the scale: if the November 11 mobilisation materialises at the stated numbers, it would be among the BJP's largest non-election drives in a state it has consistently struggled to govern.
NationPress
2 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the BJP's 'Loktantra Bachao, Arajakta Hatao' campaign?
'Loktantra Bachao, Arajakta Hatao' translates to 'Save Democracy, Eliminate Anarchy' — a BJP nationwide campaign launched in response to Opposition protests against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The campaign includes rallies, marches, and public programmes across multiple states, with West Bengal as a key focus.
What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls?
The SIR is a process of intensively reviewing and updating voter registration lists. Several Opposition parties have alleged irregularities in its conduct, triggering protests; the BJP contends those protests are politically motivated and has launched a counter-campaign in response.
Who is leading the BJP campaign in West Bengal?
BJP National President Nitin Nabin personally led the Kolkata rally on 2 November, while local leader Locket Chatterjee has been the public face of the state campaign. State vice-president Prabal Raha is coordinating the expanded phase scheduled for 800 locations from 11 November.
What is the scale of the BJP's planned second phase in West Bengal?
The second phase, beginning 11 November after Kali Puja and Diwali, aims to hold marches at 800 locations across West Bengal, with at least 10,000 participants at each location, according to state BJP vice-president Prabal Raha.
Which parties does the BJP say are behind the anti-SIR protests?
According to the BJP, the anti-SIR protests have been led by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) and backed by the Congress-led INDIA Bloc and other Opposition parties. The Opposition has not publicly accepted this characterisation.
