New Delhi: On the face of it, the 2026 Assembly elections in West Bengal are proceeding along familiar lines. Mamata Banerjee Once again at the center of fiercely polarized competition, bjpdetermined to turn the 2021 surge into momentum. The themes are carefully rehearsed: welfare and governance, regional identity and national leadership, banerji Against Narendra Modi. Beneath this recognizable script, however, lies a quieter shift that may be just as important. This time, Banerjee is contesting a major election without Prashant Kishore by her side.In 2021, Kishor’s role extends far beyond that of an advisor. Through I-PAC, he helped transform the Trinamool congressional campaign into a tightly calibrated machine that combined granular data with a sharp political message. Shows like “Didi Ke Bolo” not only strengthened Banerjee’s connect with voters; They build it, turning feedback into policy and narrative into momentum. This structure was crucial to the scale of her victory.
While I-PAC remains TMC’s strategic consulting partner in 2026, the scaffolding from last time is no longer as apparent.The question, then, is not whether Banerjee can still win without Kishore. The question is whether the absence of this strategic layer will change how close this election is.
a high-profile publicity campaign
Elections will be held from April 23 to 29, 2026, with results to be declared on May 4. The main contest in West Bengal will be a direct contest between the TMC and the BJP, complicated by the involvement of Congress and other regional players. Mamata Banerjee challenged her party to get a two-third majority and declared, “We will win over 226 seats in the 2026 Assembly elections.” The TMC plans to contest 291 of the 294 seats, conceding only three Darjeeling Hills seats to the alliance’s BGPM. Mamata herself will contest again from Babanipur against BJP rival Suvendu Adhikari; Suvendu is also contesting from Nandigram.
The list of candidates announced on March 17 included many familiar leaders (Madhuja, Madan Mitra, Firhad Hakim, etc.) and emphasis on broad representation (52 women, 95 SC/ST). Mamata remains confident: “We will win more than 226 seats” and that the campaign will accommodate those who did not gain seats.The BJP has tempered its 2021 ambitions, but they are still ambitious. As Amit Shah’s “200 paar” slogan in 2021 backfired, he had set a target of 170 seats for Bengal in April 2026. “We will win seats one after another, taking the number to 170,” he said while addressing a rally in Kolkata. Change will happen after that. “The BJP is capitalizing on the anti-incumbency and “freedom from fear” promise under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, emphasizing on issues such as law, order and employment. High-stakes showdowns (Mamata vs Suvendu) and battles for token seats (Nandigram, Bhabanipur) are the main themes.The main event strategy corresponds to 2021. The TMC continues door-to-door campaigning and welfare messaging: programs like the past ‘Didi Ke Bolo’ grievance map and launch of Lakshmir Bhandar remain part of its strategy. On the ground, the TMC said it has reactivated booth-level agents (BLA) to fight the revision of the electoral list ahead of the special revision (SIR) of the rolls. The BJP is focusing on high-pressure rallies and polarization in cities and Hindu-majority areas. There is expected to be heavy lobbying by both parties ahead of the vote and the ban on central forces is likely to be minimal given the two-phase timetable.
I-PAC Raid
In January, before the campaign officially picked up pace, a dramatic incident occurred that set the tone for what was to come. The Enforcement Directorate raided the Kolkata office of I-PAC and the residence of its chief Pratik Jain in connection with a 2020 money laundering probe related to the coal scam. The Trinamool Congress flatly rejected this explanation. Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP of using central agencies for campaign strategy, claiming sensitive documents and candidate lists were the real target, and pointed the finger at Union Home Minister Amit Shah.The confrontation quickly escalated. Officials were conducting a routine search until Banerjee, along with state police, arrived and removed materials they said were key evidence, according to the school board. Banerjee dismissed the operation as a “vendetta crime” and turned the raid into an early political flashpoint. The next day, she led a protest in Kolkata, accusing the Center of misusing investigative agencies, while party leaders alleged that education ministry officials were trying to access internal party data.The BJP and ED maintained their legal stance, accusing Banerjee of obstructing the investigation. The Supreme Court later warned the Bengal government, urging it to consider the rights of education officials and warning against setting a precedent that could affect other states.
What’s happening in 2021
The 2021 assembly elections marked the BJP’s emergence as a serious challenger in West Bengal, expanding from the margins to winning 77 seats and nearly 38% of the vote. However, the election ultimately reaffirmed Mamata Banerjee’s dominance. The Trinamool Congress won 213 seats, turning a tight, polarized contest into a decisive victory. This result owes as much to political instinct as to campaign structure. Under the leadership of Prashant Kishor and I-PAC, the TMC has a tightly managed operation that combines voter outreach with real-time feedback. Initiatives like Didi Ke Bolo are less messaging tools than data systems, incorporating local grievances directly into campaign strategies and welfare promises.
The rise of the BJP shows the scale of the challenge. The TMC’s response shows how effective its management is.
Will Mamata Banerjee miss Prashant Kishore?
This time, there is a quiet, strategic absence in the background. Prashant Kishor has since launched the Jan Suraaj Party in Bihar but he failed to win zero seats in the recent assembly polls. In 2021, Kishor is more than just a consultant. He was the architect behind a movement that transformed the Trinamool Congress from a party under siege to one that returned to power with authority.
polling
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