“This is my last rally. I will come to West Bengal after May 4 to attend the BJP chief minister’s oath ceremony,” declared Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Barrackpore, wrapping up a high-voltage campaign ahead of the second phase of polling in West Bengal.
Invoking faith, Modi described his campaign as a spiritual journey. “Ma Kali filled me with new energy,” he said, blending religion with political messaging in a state where symbolism carries deep resonance.
On the campaign trail, optics mattered as much as oratory. While Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee rode pillion on a two-wheeler and stopped at roadside stalls, Modi’s moment came over a paper cone of jhaal muri. The now-viral exchange—where he quipped, “I eat onions; I don’t eat brains”—added a touch of street theatre to a tightly fought contest.
But what seemed like spontaneity quickly turned contentious. Banerjee dismissed the episode as a “photo-op,” alleging pre-arranged camera placements. Critics pointed to the unusually well-stocked stall as evidence of staging, underscoring how even the smallest gestures are scrutinized in a polarized political climate.
Food, in fact, became a battleground. If the BJP sought to connect through culinary symbolism—candidates brandishing fish during campaigns—Banerjee turned it into a cultural argument. Warning that BJP rule could threaten Bengal’s dietary traditions, she declared: “They will not allow you to eat fish, meat, or eggs. Bengal lives on fish and rice.”
The fish, particularly hilsa, is not merely cuisine—it is identity. From weddings to rituals, it carries emotional and cultural weight. By framing the BJP as outsiders unfamiliar with Bengali traditions, Banerjee sharpened the contest into one of regional pride versus perceived cultural imposition.
The BJP, aware of its “vegetarian image” in several states, pushed back visibly. Leaders, including Anurag Thakur, were showcased consuming fish, while candidates used it as a campaign prop—an unusual, but telling symbol of political adaptation.
Beyond symbolism, rhetoric turned sharp. Modi likened the Trinamool Congress to a “dying lamp,” while Banerjee promised “democratic revenge”. The language reflected not just rivalry, but a deeply entrenched political battle.
Meanwhile, voter turnout added another layer of intrigue. West Bengal recorded a staggering 92.47 percent turnout across phases—hailed as the highest since Independence. Tamil Nadu, voting simultaneously, also saw record participation.
Traditionally, high turnout signals anti-incumbency. Yet, it can equally indicate strong mobilization by the ruling party. In these elections, the narrative blurred further, shaped less by local issues and more by national concerns—particularly allegations around electoral roll revisions in Bengal and delimitation fears in southern states.
Banerjee accused authorities of targeting voters through bureaucratic hurdles, fuelling anger among sections of the electorate. In Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister MK Stalin raised alarm over delimitation potentially reducing southern representation in parliament.
Logically, such concerns might favour incumbents resisting central policies. Yet, exit polls disrupted that assumption. Most projections suggested a neck-and-neck fight in Bengal, with the BJP emerging as a formidable challenger. Elsewhere, trends appeared clearer: a likely return for the DMK in Tamil Nadu, BJP strength in Assam, and shifting equations in Kerala and Puducherry.
Still, exit polls carry a history of misfires. The 2024 Indian general election saw predictions of a sweeping BJP victory fall short of reality. Similar inaccuracies have marked several state elections in recent years.
Perhaps mindful of these pitfalls, pollster Axis My India has refrained from issuing projections for Bengal, citing non-cooperation from voters. Its founder Pradeep Gupta—who once publicly erred in forecasting—has opted for caution this time.
For now, the noise of campaign theatrics, cultural symbolism, and statistical speculation must give way to the final verdict.
All eyes are on May 4.
—The writer is an author, journalist and political commentator
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