Will BJP be forced to chant ‘Jai Bangla’ after 2026 Assembly elections?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Abhishek Banerjee predicts the BJP will adopt the ‘Jai Bangla’ slogan post-2026 elections.
- The political landscape in West Bengal is evolving, focusing on Bengali cultural identity.
- Criticism surrounds the origins of the 'Jai Bangla' slogan.
- Concerns about the BJP's treatment of Bengali-speaking individuals are rising.
- Banerjee emphasizes the need for unity and resilience among West Bengal's people.
Kolkata, July 21 (NationPress) The BJP will inevitably find itself chanting the “Jai Bangla” slogan following the West Bengal Assembly elections scheduled for next year, asserted Abhishek Banerjee, the general secretary of the Trinamool Congress and a member of Lok Sabha, on Monday.
“The BJP is beginning to grasp the significance of embracing Bengali culture. They have already started to chant ‘Jai Ma Durga’ and ‘Jai Ma Kali’. Mark my words, we will have them chanting our slogan, ‘Jai Bangla’, after the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. They will lose their already minimal foothold in the West Bengal Assembly next year,” Banerjee stated while addressing the Trinamool Congress’ annual Martyrs’ Day rally in central Kolkata.
Nonetheless, there are disputes regarding the originality of the “Jai Bangla” slogan as a creation of the Trinamool Congress.
Critics argue that this slogan has been historically chanted by members and supporters of the Awami League, the former ruling party in Bangladesh, first popularized by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who played a pivotal role in Bangladesh’s independence from Pakistan.
During the rally, Banerjee accused the BJP of trying to send Bengali-speaking individuals to detention camps across the nation. “Their goal is to confine the entire West Bengal population to detention camps. However, after the 2026 Assembly elections, the citizens of West Bengal will ensure that the BJP is the one sent to those camps,” he proclaimed.
He emphasized that two “E”s serve as instruments for the BJP and the Union Government: the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which allegedly harasses opposition leaders, and the Election Commission of India (ECI), which is purportedly manipulating voter lists across various states. “But we are undeterred. I urge the people of West Bengal to remain fearless,” stated Banerjee.
He concluded by asserting that the Trinamool Congress’ next objective after the 2026 Assembly elections will be to displace the BJP from New Delhi in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
“Chant the ‘Jai Bangla’ slogan in a way that it resonates throughout New Delhi,” he urged.