Polarisation of Muslim Votes Likely to Block BJP’s Bengal LS Target
In the upcoming Bengal Lok Sabha elections, the polarisation of Muslim votes poses a significant challenge to the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) electoral goals. Join us as we delve into the implications of this trend, discussing its potential impact on the political landscape of West Bengal and the strategies adopted by various parties to navigate this complex scenario.
Polarization of Muslim Votes Could Hinder BJP's Bengal Lok Sabha Goal
Surveys Conducted by All Parties Indicate Muslim Voters Hold Significant Influence in 120 of Bengal's 294 Assembly Seats, with BJP Securing Only 75 Seats in 2021
Seventeen Months After Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Statement at a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National Executive Meeting in Delhi, Emphasizing the Importance of Reaching out to Economically Backward Muslims, the Minority Community Appears to Pose a Significant Obstacle to the Saffron Camp's Goal of Securing 30 out of Bengal's 42 Lok Sabha Seats in the Seven-Phase Elections, According to Stakeholders and Experts.
Stakeholders Attribute the Primary Reason to the Communal Undertones in BJP's Campaign Speeches in Bengal, Particularly Following the First Three Phases, Encompassing the Eight Seats of North Bengal, of Which BJP Emerged Victorious in Seven Seats in 2019.
Five years ago, the BJP achieved a notable victory in Bengal by securing 18 seats; however, its success in the southern region of the state was largely limited to areas with a significant presence of tribal voters or Hindu Dalits, many of whom migrated from Bangladesh as refugees. The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), implemented in March, was pledged to this demographic by the BJP during the 2019 elections.
Mamata Banerjee, the chairperson of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and chief minister of Bengal, has portrayed the CAA as a threat to both Hindus and Muslims, asserting that it sets the stage for the implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC). This issue gained attention following the situation in BJP-ruled Assam in 2018, where 1.9 million Hindus faced uncertainty, along with discussions on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), exemplified by Uttarakhand's recent legislative action in February.
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