In 10 months’ we will make them to say ‘Joy Bangla’: Abhishek on BJP
The Statesman | 22 July 2025
Abhishek Banerjee, Trinamul Congress national general secretary reiterated that the BJP will not get more than 50 seats in the Assembly election in 2026.
“I am not a soothsayer but when I say something I analyse the situation, trust people and their views before making any statement. BJP won 77 seats in 2021 and now the number has gone down to 65,” he said.
He was addressing the Martyrs’ Day rally at Esplanade this afternoon.
Mr Banerjee paid his respects to the makeshift martyrs’ column before entering the dais.
Mr Banerjee said a record number of people attended today’s meeting. This is possible because Trinamul Congress stands on rock solid foundation. “We have a solid organisation and that is why the number of attendees goes up every year.”
He said: “Those who died on 21 July, 1993 in police firing had fought for democracy and the voters’ ID card is the result of their sacrifice,” he said, adding: “The party’s rank and file are ready to fight any attack on democracy.”
He said the Trinamul MPs from the state will speak in Bengali in the Parliament. “In 2019, before the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had vandalised the statue of Vidyasagar. The people gave a befitting reply to the BJP in the ballot boxes,” he said, adding: “Not only will there be khela hobe in 2026, the lotus flower will be uprooted.”
Without naming Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said: “The BJP leaders are now taking the names of goddesses Durga and Kali and not Sri Ram. They had said that Mamata Banerjee did not allow Durga Puja in Bengal. Now as the elections are approaching, they have taken the names of Durga and Kali and rest assured, in just 10 months’ time, we will make them say ‘Joy Bangla’ after the 2026 Assembly election.
He alleged that the BJP had connived with the Election Commission of India and the Enforcement Directorate to win elections. “They try to scare the leaders by letting loose the agencies like the CBI and ED and try to create fear psychosis among common people with the help of the ECI and ED.” He said it would be easy to delete the names of genuine voters in Bengal and urged party workers to remain ever vigilant.
He said the BJP had refused to pay the dues to Bengal by “using sheer force. “The BJP should remember that it is Bengal and those who will try to play with fire will be crushed. You cannot deprive any state of the dues by flexing your muscles and they will have to pay a very heavy price for it,” he maintained.
He warned against any manipulation of the voters; list in the state. “We will not let them do scam in Bengal’s voter list. I would like to tell the BJP that they have already seen the power of the people of Bengal. They have forcibly stalled the rightful funds of the people of Bengal. We went to Delhi to conduct the movement. Representatives of tribal communities, indigenous people, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, and public representatives went for the movement. Women were dragged by their hair outside the Krishi Bhavan by the Delhi Police. They have gotten a befitting answer in 2024. This time, they are using the Assam Foreign Tribunal, which does not hold any power in the land of Bengal, to send letters to our Rajbanshi brothers and label them Bangladeshi. Is it a crime to speak in Bengali? We will definitely speak in Bengali. The more we speak in Bengali, the more they get irritated. Be proud to speak in Bengali,” he said.
He urged the party workers to bury hatchets and work together. “There is no place for complacency in Trinamul. Work together to defeat the BJP,” he said.
Trinamul Congress leaders Firhad Hakim, Aroop Biswas, Sushmita Deb also addressed the gathering. Singers Nachiketa, Surojit and Saumitra sag songs.