Mamata’s Rally Sets Narrative for 2026: Bengali pride, Hindu roots, no minority appeasement

Mamata’s strategy blends linguistic pride with economic grievances, countering anti-incumbency by positioning TMC as the defender of Bengali identity against BJP’s alleged anti-Bengali bias.

For the past week, thousands from West Bengal’s villages and districts have thronged Kolkata, their sights set on the historic Shahid Diwas rally on July 21. This annual event, commemorating the 1993 police firing on Youth Congress workers under CPI(M) rule, is a Trinamool Congress (TMC) ritual to honour ‘martyrs’ and rally supporters. On Monday, the sea of TMC faithful gathered with two aims: to see Mamata Banerjee and glean her vision for the 2026 Bengal assembly election.

With anti-incumbency simmering, the TMC faces a tough battle, but Mamata, ever the astute strategist, seized the day to redefine the narrative.

The past year has been bruising for TMC. The RG Kar rape-murder case in August 2024 sparked outrage, followed by a cascade of setbacks: the Supreme Court’s April 2025 order axing 25,000 teaching jobs due to TMC’s recruitment fraud, communal violence in Murshidabad, and the South Calcutta Law College controversy. The TMC seemed on the defensive, its image battered. Yet, Mamata turned the tide at Shahid Diwas with a bold, unexpected approach.

Eschewing her usual outreach to Muslims, Mamata pivoted to Bengali subnationalism, emphasizing the protection of the Bengali language and regional pride. She deftly positioned TMC as a defender of Hindu credentials, countering the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on its own turf. By weaving in the contentious Bangladeshi deportation issue, she tapped into local sentiments, blending cultural identity with political strategy. This narrative shift, unimaginable a month ago, signals Mamata’s intent to fight 2026 not on BJP’s terms but on her own—rooted in Bengal’s pride and resilience. As the election looms, Mamata’s gambit has set the stage for a battle of identities, not just policies. The TMC is back in the game.

Protection of Bengali Language as a Core Plank

At the Shahid Diwas rally on July 21, 2025, Mamata Banerjee positioned the protection of the Bengali language as a cornerstone of her 2026 election campaign, framing it as a shield against central policies and cultural homogenization. She linked this to the contentious issue of Bangladeshi deportations, alleging that the BJP targets Bengali-speaking individuals in states like Odisha and Assam, not to curb infiltration but to marginalize Bengalis. Highlighting this, she invited Uttam Kumar Brajabasi, a Rajbanshi from Cooch Behar, to the stage, who received an NRC notice from Assam despite valid documentation, underscoring her claim of linguistic profiling.

Mamata’s call for a new “Bhasha Andolan” evokes the historic 1950s movement when Bengalis in Assam’s Barak Valley protested to protect their language, culminating in the 1961 Silchar massacre, where 11 died defending Bengali’s status. This historical resonance amplifies her narrative of subnationalism, rallying Bengalis around their linguistic identity.

Simultaneously, she appealed to rural migrant workers, many of whom face job scarcity in Bengal and harassment from local TMC strongmen. These workers, both Hindu and Muslim, fear job losses and wrongful deportations in BJP-ruled states, a discontent Mamata seeks to harness to regain their support.While women remain loyal due to schemes like Lakshmi Bhandar, rural male migrants, alienated by violence and scams, are critical. Mamata’s strategy blends linguistic pride with economic grievances, countering anti-incumbency by positioning TMC as the defender of Bengali identity against BJP’s alleged anti-Bengali bias. This dual narrative—subnationalism and migrant welfare—aims to unify diverse voter groups, setting the stage for a fierce 2026 electoral battle. 

Focus on Bengal’s Hindu Diversity

In her electrifying rally speech, she sharpened her critique of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), exposing what she described as their anti-Hindu agenda, particularly in Bengal, a state celebrated for its religious and cultural diversity. She argued that the BJP’s policies betray the very Hindu communities they claim to champion, focusing on the marginalization of Bengal’s Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), who form a significant portion of the state’s Hindu population. 

By systematically withholding central funds for critical welfare schemes like the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, and the National Rural Livelihood Mission, the BJP has crippled the economic lifelines of these communities. These schemes provide employment, housing, and sustainable livelihoods, yet their disruption in Bengal, she alleged, reflects the BJP’s deliberate neglect of the state’s Hindu poor, contradicting their narrative of Hindu unity. She further cited examples from BJP-ruled states like Uttar Pradesh and Assam, where Hindu communities, particularly Dalits and Adivasis, have faced social and economic exclusion despite the party’s pro-Hindu rhetoric.

Steering Clear of Muslim Appeasement

The rally also marked a deliberate shift from her earlier campaigns, as she avoided overt outreach to Muslim voters, a cornerstone of past Trinamool Congress (TMC) strategies. Strikingly, she used the word “Muslim” only five times in her speech, a sharp contrast to previous rallies where minority-specific grievances took center stage. Mamata sidestepped issues like the plight of Bengali Muslims caught in the contentious Bangladeshi deportation debate, where many face scrutiny over their identity.

Instead, she anchored her narrative in the universal appeal of Bengali language and subnationalism, emphasizing cultural unity over religious divides. This pivot reflects a calculated response to opposition narratives accusing her of prioritizing Muslim voters, a charge that has gained traction among Hindu communities. Mamata understands that Muslims, a significant voting bloc, are likely to remain loyal to TMC due to its historical support.

This approach broadens her appeal, presenting her as a leader for all Bengalis, regardless of faith, while subtly countering the opposition’s attempts to paint her as biased. Mamata’s restraint in addressing minority-specific concerns, such as the deportation issue, underscores her strategic foresight: she aims to consolidate her base without fueling narratives that could backfire in a polarized electoral landscape. This shift signals a pragmatic campaign tailored to the diverse electorate she must win over in 2026.