The AIMIM foray may not amount to much in Bengal, given the distinctly Bengali identity of Bengali Muslims. Nevertheless, that will play into the equation. But BJP can’t rely on Owaisi to mount a challenge to the TMC, especially with Banerjee’s latest slew of welfare schemes pulling a lot of popular heft.
The West Bengal unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), now chasing the big ask of a change of regime, is proving itself adept at self-incineration, despite having much going for it. At one point, it did appear that it had built up some momentum. The defection of Purba Medinipur Trinamool Congress (TMC) satrap three weeks ago also seemed to promise the party getter traction, but for a variety of reasons it seems to be losing the plot.
The first theatre in which the BJP seems to be so gaffe-prone that it is alienating itself from, especially, the urban middle class is that of ‘culture’. Before we list its missteps,…