By-Jawahar Mishra
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Why might the existence of TMC be advantageous for the BJP ?
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Why This question might seem paradoxical at first glance. After all, why would any party want its primary political rival to remain in existence?
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But in politics, the complete elimination of a rival is not always beneficial. Sometimes, the persistence of a strong and clear opponent proves to be more useful from a political standpoint. Over the last decade in West Bengal, a clear political polarization has developed between the BJP and the TMC. The BJP recorded its biggest political growth in the state based on this bipolar competition. Issues such as anti-incumbency, allegations of corruption, political violence, and identity-based politics played a significant role in establishing the BJP as the main opposition force.
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If the TMC faces organizational or political erosion in the future, it is not necessary that the BJP would automatically reap the entire benefit. A portion of the TMC’s social base, worker network, and voter support could also shift toward the Left parties, especially.
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In such a situation, the BJP might have to face multiple competing political forces instead of one primary rival. For the BJP, the scenario in which the contest is presented mainly as BJP vs. TMC is considered relatively more favorable.
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This keeps the electoral discourse clearer and presents options to the voters in a relatively simple form. In recent years, bipolar politics in Bengal has contributed significantly to the BJP’s expansion.
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Which way will Bengal’s politics turn?
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Some political observers also believe that if any alternative leadership or faction within the TMC receives legal and institutional recognition, a version of the party could remain politically alive.
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In such a situation, rather than the politics of Bengal being completely restructured, it could move toward a new equilibrium. This situation could also be convenient for the BJP because it would prevent the center of opposition politics from completely shifting into the hands of the Left.
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Another argument is that the weakening of the TMC could increase the chances of a resurgence of Left-wing politics in the state. Over the last decade and a half, the TMC has used many political tools such as social welfare, mass movements, and political mobilization, which were once considered the hallmark of Left-wing politics.
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As a result, it became difficult for the Left parties to reorganize their traditional social base. There has also been a long history of ideological conflict between the BJP and the Left parties.
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Therefore, in the view of some BJP strategists, the presence of the TMC can act as a barrier against a Left-wing resurgence. However, this assessment can also change according to political circumstances and the balance of power.
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Is the existence of TMC useful for the BJP?
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At the national level as well, the existence of the TMC can be indirectly useful for the BJP. The TMC has been a major critic of the BJP, but it has often adopted an independent political stance even within opposition alliances led by the Congress.
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This has periodically led to contradictions arising in efforts for opposition unity. From the BJP’s perspective, a fragmented opposition is generally considered less challenging than a united opposition. Additionally, the BJP has long presented itself as an alternative to the TMC and a force for change in Bengal.
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If the TMC becomes politically irrelevant, the BJP might have to redefine both its electoral strategy and political narrative from scratch. Therefore, it is possible that the BJP’s goal is only to keep the TMC away from power, not its complete political eradication.
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In politics, sometimes a situation is considered most beneficial where the rival is not strong enough to remain in power, but not so weak that some new and unexpected competitor emerges in their place.
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In this context, it is argued that in the current political structure of Bengal, the existence of the TMC, despite being the BJP’s rival, can prove to be politically useful for it to a certain extent.
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