With the West Bengal Assembly elections just months away, Trinamool Congress (TMC) National General Secretary and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee used a high-profile rally in Malda to deliver one of his sharpest political messages yet. Addressing a large gathering of migrant workers and party supporters, Banerjee asserted that the Trinamool Congress remains the only political force in the state that has repeatedly and decisively defeated the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), while also raising concerns over the alleged harassment of Bengali-speaking migrant labourers across the country.

The rally, held in a politically significant region of north Bengal, was clearly aimed at consolidating TMC’s traditional support base while also reaching out to migrant workers, a group that has increasingly featured in recent political debates. Banerjee’s speech combined electoral confidence, sharp criticism of the BJP, warnings about political realignments, and an attempt to position the TMC as both a regional protector of Bengali identity and a national voice against discrimination.

“Only TMC Has Defeated BJP Time and Again”

At the heart of Banerjee’s address was a forceful assertion of TMC’s electoral track record. Referring to the presence of multiple opposition parties in the state, he said voters must look beyond rhetoric and focus on results.

“On one hand, there is Congress, then CPI(M), BJP, and many other new political parties have come up. But you need to see and understand that only Trinamool Congress is the party that has time and again defeated the BJP,” Banerjee told the crowd.

This claim was not merely rhetorical. The TMC’s landslide victory in the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections, where it won 215 out of 294 seats while the BJP secured 77, remains a cornerstone of the party’s political narrative. Banerjee sought to remind supporters that despite intense campaigns, massive resources, and high-profile leadership from the BJP, the saffron party has failed to dislodge the TMC from power in the state.

As the March–April 2026 Assembly elections approach, Banerjee’s remarks were clearly designed to reinforce the idea that a divided opposition only benefits the BJP, while a united electorate behind the TMC can ensure its continued dominance in Bengal.

Migrant Workers and the Politics of Language

A major portion of Banerjee’s speech focused on the alleged harassment of Bengali-speaking migrant workers in BJP-ruled states. He accused the BJP of promoting a narrative that unfairly equates speaking Bengali with being an illegal immigrant from Bangladesh.

“For speaking Bengali, people are branded as Bangladeshis and sent to jail,” Banerjee said, drawing loud reactions from the audience. He then posed a pointed rhetorical question: “Then why should Suvendu Adhikari, Khagen Murmu, Dilip Ghosh not be sent to jail for speaking the same language?”

By naming senior BJP leaders from West Bengal, Banerjee attempted to expose what he described as the contradiction and hypocrisy in the BJP’s stance. His remarks tapped into a sensitive issue in the state, where language, identity, and migration are deeply intertwined with politics.

The TMC leader framed the issue not just as a regional concern but as a matter of dignity and constitutional rights. According to him, targeting migrant workers on the basis of language amounts to discrimination and undermines the idea of national unity.

Banerjee also assured the gathering that the TMC would raise the issue forcefully in the upcoming session of Parliament, signaling that the party intends to take the fight beyond state boundaries.

Hints of Political Deals and Realignments

Adding an element of intrigue to his speech, Banerjee hinted at behind-the-scenes political negotiations involving the BJP and other parties. Without naming any specific party or leader, he claimed that certain political forces had entered into an understanding with the BJP.

“Certain parties have made a deal with the BJP, and you will come to know eventually,” he said.

This remark was widely interpreted as a warning to voters to remain cautious about alliances that may emerge closer to the elections. By leaving the statement deliberately vague, Banerjee fueled speculation while positioning the TMC as the only transparent and dependable alternative to the BJP in Bengal.

Such hints of political realignment also served to reinforce the TMC’s long-standing narrative that both the Congress and the Left have either weakened or compromised themselves, leaving the BJP as the primary challenger — and the TMC as the only credible bulwark against it.

Swipe at Suspended Leader Humayun Kabir

Banerjee also used the platform to distance the TMC from controversy involving suspended party leader Humayun Kabir. Kabir was expelled after announcing plans to build a mosque in the name of Mughal ruler Babur in Murshidabad, a statement that sparked political backlash.

Without naming Kabir directly at first, Banerjee remarked, “The one who was the BJP’s candidate in 2019 is today helping the BJP. He is making the Babri Masjid and is fooling people. He will not help a single person.”

By linking Kabir’s actions to the BJP, Banerjee attempted to frame the controversy as part of a larger political strategy to divide communities and distract voters from real issues. He emphasized that the TMC does not support politics based on religious provocation.

“No religion teaches division and violence,” Banerjee said, underscoring the party’s official stance of secularism and social harmony.

Looking Ahead to 2026 and Beyond

Projecting confidence about the future, Banerjee predicted a decisive defeat for the BJP in the coming years. “It’s a matter of three years. BJP will face a crushing defeat. But we all have to remain united just like we are in Bengal,” he declared.

He contrasted Bengal’s political unity with states like Bihar, where he argued that opposition disunity had allowed the BJP to gain power. The message was clear: fragmentation among anti-BJP forces could weaken resistance, while unity under the TMC banner could ensure stability and continuity.

The Malda rally thus served multiple purposes — energising party workers, reaching out to migrant communities, countering the BJP’s narrative on immigration, and setting the tone for the upcoming Assembly elections.

As West Bengal heads toward another high-stakes electoral contest, Abhishek Banerjee’s speech highlighted the TMC’s core campaign themes: protection of Bengali identity, resistance to what it calls BJP’s divisive politics, and the projection of itself as the only party capable of stopping the saffron surge in the state. Whether this message resonates strongly enough with voters once again will become clear when Bengal goes to the polls in 2026.