From ED raids to SIR row: Mamata turns adversity into mass support

Kolkata: As Bengal hurtles towards the 2026 Assembly polls, the political cauldron is at a rolling boil. The SIR row has taken centre stage, widely criticised as a “hastily” executed exercise, with the BJP launching an all-out assault on the ruling party, accusing it of “shielding vested interests,” while the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has hit back, alleging the BJP’s actions reflect a complete disregard for Bengal and its people, including noted personalities and legends..

Meanwhile, the BJP’s barrage seems to have backfired. Each attack has only strengthened Mamata Banerjee’s street-fighter image, deepening her connection with the masses and converting adversity into political momentum.

Ans with several reports of Bengali-speaking migrants being targeted in BJP-ruled states, the party now appears on the back foot. Looking at recent political history, BJP’s tactics in past elections have repeatedly failed, while TMC emerged victorious. Despite the Narada sting ahead of the 2016 Assembly polls, TMC secured a resounding win. In 2021, BJP’s “Ab Ki Baar 200 Paar” slogan flopped, and the party suffered a heavy defeat even after several TMC leaders had joined its ranks.

Moreover, BJP has failed to match TMC’s grassroots strength, as Mamata Banerjee’s image as a “leader of the masses” and protector of voter rights continues to draw huge crowds. A recent example was the Jadavpur rally, which saw a massive turnout despite being called just 12 hours after the ED raided the I-PAC office and Pratik Jain’s residence. Struggling with an organisational crisis in Bengal, the BJP sought to leverage the SIR to its advantage in the 2026 elections, while the TMC alleged that the party tried to manipulate the ECI for large-scale voter disqualifications.

Since the SIR was notified, Mamata Banerjee has alleged that the BJP is using it to create fear and link it to the CAA to target certain populations. Meanwhile, TMC leaders and analysts argue that her government’s focus on inclusive development remains its defining model. Many have questioned the direction of the country after the ECI summoned Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s grandnephew, Chandra Bose, and Nobel laureate Amartya Sen for SIR hearings. These summons have not only angered the common people but also drawn ire from a section of the elite.

Banerjee’s firm and combative stance against the SIR process, portraying her party as the sole defender of voter rights against what she calls an “inhumane” exercise by the BJP-led Centre, has also reinforced among the masses the belief that “Didi” will always stand by them.