Amit Shah to Begin Three-Day West Bengal Visit to Strengthen BJP Ahead of 2026 Elections
Home Minister launches three-day push to energise BJP cadre.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to embark on a crucial three-day visit to West Bengal commencing tonight, with the primary objective of revitalising the Bharatiya Janata Party's organisational structure in preparation for the Assembly elections slated for April-May 2026. His arrival at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport will be followed immediately by a direct transfer to the party's state headquarters in Salt Lake, where intensive strategy sessions are planned.
The itinerary emphasises closed-door organisational meetings with the BJP's Bengal leadership cadre, encompassing Members of Parliament, Members of the Legislative Assembly, and senior functionaries across various levels. Party sources confirmed that Shah deliberately chose to prioritise internal strengthening over public spectacles, declining proposals for large rallies to concentrate on granular electoral groundwork and actionable insights.
A focal point of discussions is expected to be the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, underway since November 4, 2025, which has raised alarms over substantial voter deletions. Particularly affected are members of the influential Matua community in traditional BJP bastions such as Nadia and North 24 Parganas, where the party significantly expanded its footprint during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
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The Matua voter issue gained explosive prominence following violent clashes in Thakurnagar—the community's administrative and spiritual centre—between factions loyal to BJP Union Minister of Shipping Shantanu Thakur and Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Mamatabala Thakur. The unrest erupted after reports of nearly one lakh Matua names being struck from draft rolls, compounded by controversial statements suggesting deliberate disenfranchisement strategies targeting other communities.
Analysts anticipate that addressing the Matua community's concerns will dominate Shah's agenda, given its pivotal role in the BJP's electoral calculus in Bengal. The visit signals a determined effort to consolidate support bases, rectify perceived administrative biases in voter lists, and forge a unified front amid escalating political friction ahead of the high-stakes 2026 contest.
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