Bengal: Eyeing 2026 Assembly battle, TMC adds 'prejudice' to politics of pride

The ruling Trinamool Congress is determined to politically cash-in on the alleged ill-treatment meted out to Mamata Banerjee at the NITI Aayog meeting, dovetailing the episode with its political plank of pride and prejudice.

This became apparent when a senior TMC leader and West Bengal minister Manas Bhunia on Monday (July 29) moved a special notice in the Assembly on her alleged humiliation at the July 27 meeting of the Centre’s policy think-tank in New Delhi.

The West Bengal chief minister walked out of the meeting alleging that her microphone was switched off within five minutes into her speech.

TMC furious over ‘humiliation’

Moving the notice, Bhunia described the muting of the microphone as a matter of “serious concern” and against the spirit of cooperative federalism. He emphasised that the chief minister was speaking on behalf of the state.

Minister of state for finance Chandrima Bhattacharya was more categorical, telling the House that the Bengal CM’s humiliation amounted to a humiliation of the state.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators walked out of the Assembly opposing the content of the notice, stating that the chief minister’s version of what transpired at the NITI Aayog meeting was not true.

Long list of complaints

The BJP's claim, however, lacked conviction as NITI Aayog has so far not been able to come out with any video footage or any other evidence to debunk Mamata's claim.

In the TMC’s narrative, the NITI Aayog episode was not an isolated incident but part of the BJP’s larger “prejudice” towards Bengal. To give credence to its arguments, the TMC is strategically raking up issues that can be deemed anti-state, keeping an eye on the 2026 Assembly elections.

The TMC has been successful in electorally countering the BJP’s Hindutva push so far in the state by playing a Bengali-pride (asmita) card.

TMC targets Modi government

In the previous elections in the past, the TMC's main plank was that the BJP is a Hindi-heartland party with no connect to Bengal’s culture and tradition.

This time around the TMC is trying to further scale up the Bengali-asmita narrative by accusing the BJP of being prejudiced against Bengal.

The freeze on the funds meant for implementation of Central schemes in the state, absence of budgetary allocation to control the perennial flood and erosion problem in Bengal, non-consultation of the state in water-sharing talks with neighbouring counties and demand of a section of BJP leaders to bifurcate Bengal are the issues, apart from the NITI-Aayog episode, earmarked by the TMC to build its pitch.

Water issues and Bengal

The party is contemplating to launch a state-wide protest against the fund freeze and the “humiliation” of the chief minister.

Besides, a delegation of state legislators will call on the Union finance minister and irrigation minister in New Delhi to raise the issue of water sharing and flood control. Mamata stated this in the state Assembly on Monday.

She also demanded setting up of an India-Bhutan river commission on the lines of the India-Bangladesh river commission so that information on water levels in rivers that originate in Bhutan and pass through Bengal can be shared with the state to save lives and properties.

Dividing Bengal

Stating that Bengal is one of the most flood-prone states in the country, with 43 per cent area vulnerable to flooding, she alleged that though water discharge by the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) affects several districts in south Bengal, the Centre does not take any responsibility.

She further reminded the BJP-led central government that flood control and river erosion was a central subject.

The “division” of the state is another emotive issue the BJP has unwittingly handed over to the TMC and the latter is quick to lap it up. "Let them try to divide Bengal. We will show them how to resist it," Mamata warned in the House.

BJP on the backfoot

The BJP Lok Sabha member from Jharkhand, Nishikant Dubey, recently demanded the formation of a new Union Territory bifurcating certain districts of Bihar and West Bengal. BJP’s Murshidabad MLA Gouri Sankar Ghosh endorsed the demand, much to his own party’s discomfort.

BJP state president Sukanta Mazumdar and leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari attempted damage control saying the party does not support any division of Bengal.

The TMC is unlikely to let these issues die down before the 2026 elections. It’s planning to move an Assembly resolution condemning the BJP’s “ploy” to divide Bengal.