Bihar Election Shockwaves Hit West Bengal & Assam
A BJP public meeting in Bihar. (Image BJP4Bihar, X)
With West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu and Kerala set for elections next year, Bihar’s mandate is reshaping strategies. Mamata alleges voter-list “pressure tactics,” while Himanta bets big on a Bihar-inspired welfare playbook.
By MANISH ANAND
New Delhi, November 19, 2025 — The political tremors from the Bihar election result are already echoing across West Bengal and Assam, where crucial assembly polls are scheduled next year. Analysts say Bihar’s emphatic pro-incumbency mandate has redrawn calculations for both Trinamool Congress and the BJP in the eastern political theatre.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has launched a blistering attack on the Election Commission, alleging undue pressure on booth-level officers (BLOs) during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
In a long social media post, she claimed that the revision—normally conducted over three years—was being rushed in just two months, leading to extreme stress on ground staff. Mamata alleged that 28 people, including a tribal woman officer, have died due to stress under the burden of workload and fear of punitive action.
Her sharpest worry stems from Bihar’s recent experience: nearly 65 lakh names were reportedly deleted during the state’s voter list revision process, with close observers noting that in 75 assembly seats, the number of deleted names exceeded the victory margins. If a similar scale of deletions occurs in West Bengal, Mamata possibly fears it could fundamentally reshape electoral arithmetic.
Adding to the tension is the anxiety within the Matua community—Dalit migrants from Bangladesh whose population is estimated at over 1 crore. Long awaiting citizenship documentation under the Citizenship Amendment Act, several Matua activists have staged protests, claiming they may be left out during voter verification. Both Congress and Trinamool are attempting to assuage the community’s fears, even as BJP retains a strong foothold in many Matua-dominated pockets.
Assam, meanwhile, is witnessing the opposite mood. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is buoyed by the pro-incumbency trend in Bihar, hoping for a repeat in his state, where the BJP is eyeing a historic third consecutive term. With livelihood emerging as the defining theme of Bihar’s verdict, Assam is preparing its own version of welfare-heavy politics.
While Nitish Kumar had credited his ₹10,000 assistance to 1.35 crore “Jeevika Didis” for the NDA’s sweeping victory, Assam currently offers ₹2,500 per month to economically vulnerable families. Sources indicate the Sarma government is considering doubling the payout to ₹5,000. The administration is also planning an advance celebration of the Bihu festival—complete with clothing distribution to selected families—to strengthen its grassroots connect.
Additionally, Assam combines the Centre’s free grain scheme with state-level support through salt, sugar and mustard oil distribution, building a comprehensive welfare basket aimed at securing a Bihar-style overwhelming mandate.
But in West Bengal, Mamata’s TMC is bracing for a turbulent pre-election climate. West Bengal’s political culture—marked by decades of street-level clashes, organisational muscle and high-intensity campaigns—has once again entered confrontation mode. While TMC remains dominant, the Left and Congress still retain pockets of influence, leaving possibilities for tactical, backdoor political alignments that could sway the final outcome.
As the state heads toward elections in April, the battlelines are sharpening: Mamata accuses the EC of facilitating voter suppression; the BJP highlights welfare and demands cleaner rolls; and smaller parties test alliances that could reshape constituencies. Bengal’s famously dramatic electoral contests—with slogans like “Khela Hobe” energising the public—appear set for yet another high-stakes showdown.
For now, one thing is clear: Bihar’s verdict has unsettled Mamata Banerjee and invigorated Himanta Biswa Sarma. How much of Bihar’s political template will be replicated in Bengal and Assam will become clearer in the months ahead.
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