West Bengal

IIE DIGITAL DESK : Political atmosphere in Garbeta turned visibly tense as the Bharatiya Janata Party launched its much-touted “Paribartan Yatra” programme ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections. The campaign event, aimed at energising party workers and expanding organisational reach, failed to draw the expected crowd. Reports suggest that nearly half of the ground remained empty during the programme, raising questions about local public response to the rally. The programme was attended by senior BJP leaders including Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan along with opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari.

Before the rally began, political tension escalated when several walls near the route leading to the local Sarmangala temple were found covered with anti-BJP posters and banners. The posters carried strong political messages targeting the saffron party. Some of the slogans written on the walls read, “However much you try for Paribartan Yatra, this will be BJP’s last journey”, while another poster stated, “We want to live, so let us drive BJP away.” Another striking message on a poster read, “The pot of sins is full, BJP will get zero in 2026”, reflecting strong local resistance and political polarization in the area.

Due to the growing tension and visible opposition sentiment, Suvendu Adhikari reportedly avoided visiting the temple as initially planned. However, Dharmendra Pradhan along with a small group of BJP supporters visited the temple and offered prayers. The situation inside the rally ground also reflected mixed reactions from attendees. Party slogans were not as loud as expected, and traditional political chants were largely replaced by local religious expressions such as “Jai Jagannath”, “Jai Maa Kali”, and “Jai Sarbamangala”, indicating a different cultural tone during the gathering.

During the speech session, both BJP leaders focused on attacking the ruling Trinamool Congress government while highlighting development claims. Suvendu Adhikari alleged that around 58 lakh voter names were removed earlier from the electoral rolls and that another 7 lakh names were deleted in the final voter list, bringing the total exclusion figure to nearly 65 lakh. He further claimed that around 60 lakh more voters are still under consideration, raising serious concerns about the transparency of the voter revision process.

On development issues, Adhikari criticised the state administration, alleging financial mismanagement. He claimed that the central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had provided nearly 10 lakh crore rupees to the state, but accused the state government of misusing public funds. Addressing agricultural concerns, especially potato farmers in Garbeta, he promised that if the BJP forms government, the party would introduce subsidy-based potato procurement policies to support farmers.

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan emphasised that the focus should be on employment generation rather than welfare allowances. He argued that job creation should be the primary priority instead of expanding subsidy-based support schemes. However, Suvendu Adhikari countered by stating that development must include both social welfare and employment opportunities.

Despite the political speeches, many people who attended the rally appeared uncertain and remained silent during the programme. Several attendees were seen leaving after listening to the speeches without expressing strong political enthusiasm. Political analysts believe that the low turnout and mixed public response could reflect changing political equations in the region as the state moves closer to the election season.

With the election campaign gradually intensifying, Garbeta has emerged as a politically sensitive zone, and future rallies and public meetings are expected to witness stronger competition between political parties. The ongoing voter list controversy and development narrative are likely to dominate political discourse in the coming days as West Bengal prepares for another crucial electoral contest.