West Bengal will never accept BJP’s politics, says TMC MP Sagarika Ghose
TMC MP asserts Mamata Banerjee’s grassroots connect unbeatable; accuses Centre of denying state its dues
TMC (Trinamool Congress) MP Sagarika Ghose on Saturday delivered a sharp rebuttal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assertion that the BJP would sweep the next West Bengal Assembly elections, insisting that the state would “never accept” the saffron party’s brand of politics.
Speaking to PTI Videos, Ghose accused the Prime Minister of treating Bengal as a “territory to be conquered”, saying, “Mr. Modi talked about the conquest of Bengal, as if Bengal is a trophy to be added to his CV. Bengal is not a piece of land you can annex with money, muscle power or divisive politics.”
The TMC MP said that the BJP’s political style — “divide and rule, intimidation, and violence” — stood in stark contrast to West Bengal’s cultural and political ethos. “Bengal will never accept the kind of politics that Mr. Modi and BJP do,” she asserted.
Ghose also praised Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as a leader “rooted among the people”, drawing a pointed comparison with Modi. “Mamata Banerjee is 24x7 on the ground. She is not a ‘hawaii jahaz’ leader who flies in just for votes. She lives, walks, and fights with the people.”
Highlighting the state government’s social welfare initiatives, she cited the Kanyashree scheme as an example of long-term commitment to women’s empowerment, “not a pre-election bribe,” she said.
Ghose accused the Centre of “vindictive federalism” by withholding West Bengal’s dues under MGNREGS and Awas Yojana. “The central government has denied Bengal its legitimate dues. Bengal will never bow to a Centre that flouts the Constitution and the federal structure.”
The MP also claimed Bengali-speaking migrant workers across India have been targeted and labelled “infiltrators”. “They are citizens of India earning a livelihood, yet called ghuspetia because they speak Bangla. This dirty politics of division will never succeed in Bengal.”
She criticised BJP leaders who allegedly mocked the Bangla language. “Our linguistic pride, our cultural icons — Vivekananda, Netaji, Tagore — are not political props. Bengal will fight the BJP and Bengal will win,” she declared.
Her remarks came a day after Modi said that the NDA’s victory in Bihar would carry “the flow of the Ganga” into Bengal, setting the stage for a fierce political battle ahead of 2026.