From ‘Poriborton’ in Bengal, to ‘Badlaav’ in Punjab, BJP seeks to draw a straight line

The BJP’s messaging arc linking Bengal and Punjab has been visible in its campaign strategy as well. After organising ‘Poriborton Yatras’ across Bengal ahead of the elections, the party blew the poll bugle in Punjab on March 14 with a ‘Badlaav’ (change) rally addressed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Moga. Party leaders view the two exercises as part of a broader narrative centred on political change. For a change, the Moga rally was attended by a large segment of rural voters from across the state.

Reacting to the Bengal results, Union Minister of State Ravneet Singh Bittu said, “Amit Shah’s confidence is not reflected in his words alone, but in his tireless hard work and his formidable grip on the ground reality…Punjab will also respond in a resounding way”.

Beyond political circles, the developments in Bengal also triggered conversations within the industry. A Ludhiana-based industrialist told The Indian Express, “We had not expected a clear majority for the BJP in Bengal. So yes, if it can happen in West Bengal, Punjab is not far behind.”

Pankaj Sharma, president of the Association of Trade and Industrial Undertakings, said, “We cannot predict anything in Punjab but definitely hope for more business with West Bengal clients in future.”

Rajnish Ahuja, Punjab president of the Apex Chamber of Commerce, struck a similar note, saying, “After West Bengal, the next stop of the BJP is in Punjab. Let’s try to have the same government as the one at the Centre. All these years, we have been electing opposite governments. If Bengal can do this, why can’t we?”

However, the political pushback in Punjab was immediate. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann dismissed any linkage, saying, “BJP should stop day dreaming that West Bengal results will have any effect in Punjab… here voters are very wise, and they exercise their right to vote judiciously.”

Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring countered the BJP’s optimism with a different political reading. “After Kerala… next stop of Congress will be in Punjab,” he said, attributing the outcome in Bengal to multiple factors.

The PCC president also took a dig at the Punjab BJP leaders who were gloating over the Bengal and Assam results. “Let me tell them, Punjab is more like Tamil Nadu and Kerala and less like Bengal or Assam”, he said. “You can’t polarize people in Punjab and that is my guarantee and without polarization you cannot win even a single seat of state”, he told the BJP.

The BJP, meanwhile, sees the Bengal outcome as a morale booster. Jakhar said the results would “energise party workers and instil hope,” alleging that law and order concerns seen in Bengal also resonate in Punjab and claiming that the AAP government “has failed on all fronts.” He asserted that AAP’s exit from Punjab is “certain” and added that Congress “has been wiped out not only in Punjab but across the country,” accusing it of surrendering to the ruling party in the state.

BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh said, “Under the leadership of PM Modi, ‘Lotus’ (BJP’s poll symbol) will also bloom in Punjab. The BJP will form its own government.”

For the BJP, the road ahead in Punjab remains steep. The party currently has only two seats in Vidhan Sabha and is rebuilding its organisation after the end of its long-standing alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal from 1996 to 2020. Recently, six Rajya Sabha MPs of Punjab switched from AAP to BJP. While occasional voices within the party have spoken about the “emotion” of an alliance, of BJP with SAD, recent signals from the central leadership have indicated a preference to go solo, a line reiterated during the Moga rally by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and even by National President Nitin Nabin recently.

At the same time, the party has stepped up its outreach around central initiatives, repeatedly highlighting moves such as the opening of the Kartarpur Sahib corridor and nationwide commemorations linked to Sikh history. Leaders say the focus in the coming months will be on expanding this messaging to rural areas and connecting people with central government schemes.

The contrast in political messaging remains sharp. While the BJP seeks to draw a straight line from Bengal’s “Poriborton” to Punjab’s “Badlaav,” its opponents insist the two states are fundamentally different political terrains.