Rahul Gandhi Says TMC Is Clearing the Way for BJP in West Bengal

West Bengal will vote on April 23 and 29 and the most vociferous campaign voice is that of Rahul Gandhi. He tells us that it was not only the Trinamool Congress that had failed Bengal, but had made room to enable the BJP to expand. That is a stinging reproach, and it is well worth considering.

He has a simple point to make. When a ruling party governs a state by fear, corruption and stagnant industry, they seek an alternative. In Bengal, the BJP became that alternative, as seen elsewhere. Gandhi cites 84 lakh young people seeking unemployment benefits, 17 jute mills closing in 2026 alone, and the departure of thousands of businesses in the state in the past 10 years.

Economic and Electoral Context

The story of the economy is a complex one. During 2012-22, Bengal recorded an average growth of 4.3/year compared to the national 5.6/year. Debt sits at 38.4% of GSDP. The unemployment statistics are good on paper but the fact of the matter is that there is a lack of job quality and stagnant industrial confidence.

Then there is the controversy over voter roll. Around 58 lakh names were deleted ahead of this election. Those numbers surpass the winning margin in 2021 in dozens of constituencies. Both TMC and Congress refer to it as manipulation.

The 2030 Outlook

Gandhi is hoping that voters in Bengal are fed up with this cycle to think of a third choice. Whether that gamble is successful or merely divides the anti-BJP vote will also determine the politics of the state well into 2030.