Shah inaugurated the Santosh Mitra Square Durga Puja pandal, themed “Operation Sindoor”, where he sought the blessings of the goddess to usher in a “Sonar Bangla” under a BJP-led government after the 2026 polls. He framed his message in cultural symbolism, appealing to Bengal’s heritage and pledging peace, prosperity and security as essential elements of future governance. He also paid homage to Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar at the start of his visit.
Hours later, TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee publicly lashed out, charging the Centre with withholding ₹2 lakh crore owed to Bengal. He challenged Shah’s development narrative by asking whether BJP-ruled states such as Gujarat or Bihar had become “golden” under his party’s rule. He also invoked the broken statue of Vidyasagar at Vidyasagar College—vandalised in 2019—and denounced what he called the BJP’s “Bangla-birodhi” stance.
The confrontation deepened when BJP alleged that TMC cadres removed posters promoting Shah’s visit near the Kalighat temple, accusing them of political suppression. The TMC, in turn, remained terse, denying involvement and accusing the BJP of dramatizing the issue to obfuscate real governance failures.
Another line of attack emerged from Shah: he accused the West Bengal government of facilitating infiltration from across the Bangladesh border to bolster its vote bank, and claimed the state had obstructed land transfers required for border fencing. TMC spokesman Kunal Ghosh countered sharply, arguing that border security falls exclusively under central jurisdiction. He labelled Shah’s remarks as “same-side goals,” pointing out that the Border Security Force functions under the Home Ministry itself. He demanded Shah’s resignation over alleged security lapses, citing events in Pahalgam and Pulwama as evidence of failures in central governance.
Politically, the timing is significant. The BJP aims to sharpen its narrative well ahead of Bengal’s 2026 Assembly election, positioning development and security as its key cards. Its invocation of “golden Bengal” echoes earlier campaign appeals, notably Shah’s “Operation Sindoor”, invoked during his June visit. The TMC has responded by doubling down on cultural pride, fiscal rights, and deflection of central claims.
Observers note that while Shah’s invocation of religious symbolism and cultural identity demonstrates the BJP’s more nuanced rhetorical shift in Bengal, the TMC’s readiness to counter with constitutional and financial arguments suggests a more grounded defensive posture. Whether either side can translate rhetoric into electoral momentum remains to be seen—particularly in a state long known for unpredictable alliances and voter shifts.