The party leader also launched a strong attack on the ruling TMC, calling it a ‘corrupt, family-oriented party’ with no ideology
NEW DELHI — Remarks by West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari linking voting patterns to religious identity have triggered a significant political controversy following the 2026 West Bengal Assembly election results.
Adhikari described the BJP’s victory—where the party crossed the majority mark to form its first-ever government in the state—as a “victory for Hindutva”.
Adhikari, who registered victories in Nandigram and Bhabanipur, said his win in the former was driven by Hindu voters and accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) of receiving support from Muslim voters.
He said, “The Hindu people of Nandigram made me win again. There, the entire Muslim vote went to TMC. They are Kattarwadi (fanatic and hardliners). I will work for the Hindus of Nandigram,” media reports said on Tuesday.
Calling his win a “victory for Hindutva,” Adhikari claimed that voters aligned with ideological and community-based choices during the election.
He also claimed a transfer of votes from the Communist Party of India (Marxist), saying, “The CPM had 13,000 votes in Bhabanipur, and at least 10,000 of them were transferred to me.”
“This time there’s a Hindu consolidation, and the way Muslims vote for TMC, they have not done that this time. Some votes have gone to the pro-Muslim party. BJP has also got some in small amounts.”
He also framed his party’s victory as “Hindu EVM BJP, Muslim EVM TMC”, and said: “Hindus are consolidated in favour of the lotus (BJP’s poll symbol)”.
Adhikari won the Bhabanipur seat, defeating TMC chief Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur by a margin of around 15,000 votes.
The BJP leader launched a strong attack on the ruling TMC, calling it a “corrupt, family-oriented party” with no ideology.
He further said, “TMC will be finished. Within 24 hours, it will be destroyed. It will be finished.”
Adhikari also stated that the BJP would implement commitments made by the party leadership. He said, “We will do the work that Home Minister Amit Shah had declared in the manifesto, and Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi has guaranteed again and again.”
Adhikari’s remarks have added to already heightened political tensions in West Bengal, where the BJP and TMC have been engaged in a closely fought electoral battle.
Rival parties have accused Adhikari of promoting segregation and using “communal language” to define public development.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has been urged by various stakeholders to take cognisance of these remarks, which critics say undermine the secular fabric of the electoral process.
