Amit Shah
NEW DELHI: Union home minister Amit Shah predicted Tuesday a BJP govt in Bengal with a two-thirds majority in the 2026 assembly polls, while promising to end infiltration and seeking to calm fears among the Matua community over EC’s special intensive revision of electoral rolls and the Citizenship Amendment Act. “BJP has resolved that when it forms govt after April 2026, it will restore Bengal’s lost glory,” Shah said during a 40-minute interaction with reporters. “Development has come to a halt. Fear and corruption have become the identity of the state… We will uproot Trinamool Congress.” Shah traced BJP’s rise in Bengal from two Lok Sabha seats and 17% vote share a decade ago to 18 seats in 2019 and 77 assembly seats in 2021, asserting Congress and CPM had been reduced to zero. “We had 36% vote share in 2021 and we will win 2026 with a two-thirds majority,” he said, adding the election would be fought on “stopping infiltration and driving infiltrators out”. Addressing Matua concerns, Shah said he spoke Monday with Bongaon MP and junior Union minister Shantanu Thakur, assuring that no Matua would lose voting rights or citizenship. “Matuas have no reason to be afraid. Refugees who came to Bengal are citizens of India and nobody can harm them – not even Mamata Banerjee,” he said. BJP functionaries said that of nearly 1.5 crore Matuas in Bengal, about 70,000 have applied for citizenship under CAA. Shah accused the TMC-led govt of blocking border fencing by not allotting land to BSF. “I have sent seven letters… there was no response,” he said. “Infiltration is happening on Mamata Banerjee’s watch. Forged documents are being prepared. Demography is changing to strengthen her vote bank.” Shah also targeted TMC over alleged corruption, naming Partha Chatterjee, Jyotipriya Mallick and Anubrata Mandal, and referring to allegations against Firhad Hakim and Sovan Chattopadhyay. “Yet Didi says there is no corruption,” Shah said. He claimed women’s safety was at risk and people were told not to step out after 7pm. Urging voters to give BJP a chance, Shah said politics over mandir and masjid was a distraction. “Core issues are women’s safety, corruption, jobs for youth and flight of industries,” he said.
