From kitchens to campaign: How Mamata Banerjee is using LPG concerns to attack BJP ahead of West Bengal election

• Mamata Banerjee leads rally on LPG shortages in Kolkata
• Banerjee blames BJP for LPG issues; BJP points to global crisis
• West Bengal polls set for April 23 and 29, counting on May 4

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With the West Bengal Assembly election schedule now out, Trinamool Congress president and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has moved swiftly to anchor her campaign around a theme that resonates directly with households: cooking gas availability.

Within a day of the announcement by the Election Commission of India (ECI), she was on the streets of Kolkata, leading a padyatra that foregrounded LPG shortages and their impact on daily life.

At her rally, Banerjee struck a combative tone, asserting that there was “actually no shortage of LPG” and accusing the BJP of “deliberately harassing” people by restricting supplies.

She framed the issue not merely as an economic concern but as a political failure, telling supporters that people “simply want LPG cylinders” rather than “tall claims” or “rosy promises.” The immediacy of the issue -- affecting kitchens, small businesses, and street vendors -- gives it a tangible edge in campaign messaging.

Ground-level reactions, however, reveal a more complex picture. Along the rally route, opinions were divided. A trader reported by The Telegraph argued that the crisis was tied to global disruptions, saying it was unfair to blame Narendra Modi, noting, “What is happening in the Gulf is a global crisis. Modi did not start the war.”

Others took a harsher view. A tea seller struggling with soaring prices said, “We have been forced to shift to coal… We cannot afford so much,” blaming government policy for the burden on the poor.

Banerjee has leaned into these grievances, accusing the Centre of failing to build adequate reserves before supply disruptions linked to West Asia tensions.

She argued the situation “could have been avoided if the Centre had planned ahead,” while also linking the issue to broader political narratives -- administrative reshuffles, electoral roll revisions, and alleged targeting of state officials.

At the same time, some residents downplayed the severity, attributing shortages to panic buying rather than structural supply issues. “We have been able to book cylinders. The crisis was created by panic,” one bystander said, reflecting the uncertainty around how widespread or prolonged the disruption is.

This divergence in perception may ultimately shape the electoral impact. For Banerjee, the LPG issue offers a relatable, everyday entry point to challenge the Centre, especially when combined with sharp rhetoric and visible street mobilisation.

By contrast, the BJP and its supporters appear to be framing the situation within a global context, diluting direct accountability.

In choosing to foreground LPG concerns so early, Banerjee signals a campaign built on immediacy and lived experience -- an attempt to convert a supply disruption into a broader political narrative about governance, planning, and responsiveness ahead of polling in April.

Voting in the state will take place in two phases on April 23 and April 29, 2026, with the counting of votes to be held on May 4.