While the Trinamool Congress firmly goes ahead with its alleged "mollycoddle-the-Muslims" — stance just about a year ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections — Bengal BJP leadership seems to be pulling in two directions with one section led by State party president Sukanto Majumdar preferring a softer approach towards the minorities, the other side led by State Opposition Leader Suvendu Adhikari preferring a fiercely combative line.
Within hours of Adhikari appealing to the 70 percent Hindu voters to vote enblock for the saffron outfit so that the BJP can throw a "Muslim appeaser" Mamata Banerjee out of power, Majumdar went on record suggesting that a day would come when the Muslims of Bengal would too start voting for the BJP like they have been doing in Gujarat.
"Though the BJP does not get Muslim votes for us in wholesale rate it can't be denied that they do not vote for the BJP at all … In Gujarat we have been getting 8-10 percent Muslim votes … how is it possible ... because the Muslim voters too have realized that the BJP stands for development," Majumdar and MP from Balurghat constituency said adding even in Bengal the Muslims have been voting for the BJP though in very negligible scale.
"We have seen that in Balurghat and Raiganj the Muslims have voted for the BJP otherwise we would not have won with the margin that we did … this means that the Muslims are voting for us though in less number … but one day they too will start voting for us in good numbers when they will be provided the facility of true Gyan (education) … we will have to continuously work towards getting the Muslim votes too as we have done in States like Gujarat," Majumdar who is also a junior Union Minister said.
The BJP MP's softer stance towards the minorities notwithstanding, Adhikari continued to rain fire on the minority voters for their alleged blinkered eyed preference for the TMC. "If the TMC can bank on 30 percent Muslim votes why can't we talk of the 70 percent Hindu votes … the calculation is simple the Hindus have a direct impact on 200-220 seats … if we can unify these voters then we will definitely come to power … it is clear from the previous voting patterns that the TMC is getting 30 percent Muslim votes and barely 10-12 percent Hindu votes whereas the BJP is getting net 38 percent Hindu votes … if we manage to galvanize another a few percent votes the we will win … and we will definitely throw out Mamata Banerjee from power in 2026 … the BJP will win between 150 and 180 seats," Adhikari who had of late taken a strong hard-line stance said.
Adhikari early this month hit the headlines by vowing to throw the Muslim MLAs out of the Assembly. "In 2026 we will come to power and after we come to power we will throw out the Muslim MLAs from the Assembly," Adhikari said. While the former threatened to take him on "physically" inside the Assembly premises, the latter said prescribed breaking of legs.
Adhikari soon hit back saying the one crore Hindus would take out 2000 rallies on Ram Navami day. In a language hitherto unheard of in Bengal, he said "the Hindus will show their strength … one crore Hindus will this time come out to celebrate Ram Navami … they will take no permission from any authority … there will be 2000 processions."
When asked to comment on once crore Hindus coming out in rallies on Ram Navami Sukanto Majumdar said, his party was not for imposing any restriction. "Anyone can take out religious procession without breaking laws and we hope the Government will not try to obstruct Hindu processions."
