Bengal Polls
‘Mamata Banerjee’s politics fuelled BJP growth in Bengal’: Rahul Gandhi
New Delhi/IBNS: In an open friction within the INDIA bloc, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has slammed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over her alleged misrule and polarised politics that he claims has created space for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state.
As West Bengal went to polls in the first phase on Thursday, Gandhi also attacked the BJP for its alleged divisive politics, which he said was fuelled by Banerjee, who heads the Trinamool Congress (TMC).
‘BJP Works Against Bengal’s Culture’: Rahul Gandhi
In a video message, Gandhi said, “The BJP works against Bengal’s culture, history and the Bengali language. Its leaders push the idea of ‘One Nation, One Language, One Religion’, but India is a land of many languages, diverse people, multiple religions and varied ideologies.”
Rahul Gandhi’s Criticism of Mamata Banerjee
Gandhi launched a direct attack on the West Bengal Chief Minister, alleging that her governance and alleged polarising politics had weakened the state politically.
He said, “If Mamata-ji had run an orderly government and had not polarised West Bengal, there would have been no space for the BJP to grow.”
He further added that the Congress remains the only party capable of effectively challenging the BJP nationally.
पश्चिम बंगाल के भाइयों-बहनों,
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 22, 2026
विचारधारा की इस लड़ाई में BJP को सिर्फ कांग्रेस ही हरा सकती है। वो अधिकार छीनते हैं, हम दिलाते हैं। वो संविधान मिटाते हैं, हम बचाते हैं।
वो भारत की विविधता मिटाना चाहते हैं, हम बंगाल के साथ हर संस्कृति, हर भाषा का सम्मान करते हैं।
आइए, कांग्रेस को… pic.twitter.com/M8WhqZoici
Earlier Campaign Remarks Against TMC
Earlier during his campaign for the Congress in West Bengal, Gandhi had made a rare direct attack on the TMC, alleging that the party has failed on multiple fronts since coming to power in 2011.
He accused the TMC of weakening the state’s industrial base, contributing to rising unemployment, and worsening law and order conditions.
The Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition also intensified his criticism over crimes against women, citing the RG Kar rape and murder case.
Why This Matters
The remarks are politically significant as the Congress is contesting the Assembly elections alone in West Bengal for the first time since 2011.
Despite being allies at the national level under the INDIA bloc against the BJP led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, relations between the Congress and TMC have remained strained in the state.
Political observers suggest the Congress could improve its performance in regions such as Malda, Murshidabad, and Dinajpur—traditional strongholds where the TMC made significant inroads in the 2021 Assembly elections.
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