• Source:JND

West Bengal Elections 2026: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is hopeful to dislodge the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) in the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections, has rebooted its poll strategy, focusing on women voters, a major vote bank of the ruling party. The saffron party sought to turn the Centre's setback over the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, into an election weapon in West Bengal, accusing the TMC of 'betraying' women by opposing the move in Parliament.

Women Will Punish TMC: PM Modi In Bengal

Addressing four back-to-back rallies across Bankura, Purulia, Jhargram and Medinipur in the politically crucial Junglemahal belt and adjoining districts on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi attacked the TMC, saying women will punish the Mamata-led party in the election.

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Why Women Voters Matter In Bengal Polls

Women constitute nearly half the electorate in West Bengal. It is believed that a big chunk of women's vote share goes to the TMC. The BJP wants to breach Mamata's traditional vote bank. PM Modi's popularity and the Central welfare scheme linked to women earned electoral points in several states, but in Bengal, the story is not the same due to Mamata's strong influence over women voters. This time, the BJP is attempting to woo women voters, and that is why the saffron party set its women leaders in the front row in the poll campaigns. Though the BJP lacks a woman leader of Mamata's stature, the party has a few female faces who can emerge as a big game-changer in the state.

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Here Are Prominent Women BJP Leaders In West Bengal:

Roopa Ganguly: BJP leader Roopa Ganguly, who is a renowned actress and best known for playing Draupadi's role in the TV serial Mahabharata, has been a prominent party face in the state. Ganguly is contesting from the Sonarpur Dakshin seat against TMC's Arundhuti Maitra in the 2026 assembly elections. She joined the BJP in 2015. Ganguly also led West Bengal BJP Mahila Morcha from 2015 to 2017. The actress-turned-politician has been a strong female voice against the Mamata government.

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Locket Chatterjee: Another actor-turned-politician, Locket Chatterjee, who joined the BJP in 2015, is a big woman face in the ongoing poll campaign against the TMC government. In the organisation, she has served as the general secretary of the West Bengal BJP and president of the Mahila Morcha. She has been actively leading poll campaigns for the party.

Debasree Chaudhuri: Another prominent leader is Debasree Chaudhuri, who unsuccessfully contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from the Kolkata Dakshin seat. She was a part of the Modi Cabinet at the Centre from 2019 to 2021 after winning from the Raiganj Lok Sabha constituency in 2019.

Phalguni Patra: BJP largely banks on Phalguni Patra for women's mobilisation in the ongoing poll campaigns in West Bengal. Patra, who is the West Bengal BJP Mahila Morcha president, plays an active role in women's organisations, rural campaigns, and the party's poll activities.

Agnimitra Paul: Fashion designer-turned-politician is an MLA from Asansol South. In January this year, Paul was appointed the vice-president of the BJP, West Bengal.

(With Agencies' inputs)

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