West Bengal election 2026: Identity politics, vote banks, and the BJP vs Trinamool battle

In this episode of Frontline Conversations, sociologist, writer, and Dean, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Royal Global University, Guwahati, Surajit Mukhopadhyay analyses the changing dynamics of the West Bengal Assembly election 2026, focusing on how identity politics has come to shape electoral outcomes in the State. Drawing on historical and sociological insights, he explains how Bengal’s earlier politics—once centred on class and economic inequality under the Left—has gradually shifted towards assertions of ethnic, religious, and regional identities. Mukhopadhyay argues that the decline of Left politics has opened space for what he calls the “politics of primordial identities”, where communities mobilise around ethnicity, religion, and cultural recognition rather than purely economic concerns. He examines how tribal assertions, including the Kurmi demand for Scheduled Tribe status, and broader questions of linguistic and cultural recognition, are influencing key electoral regions such as Jangalmahal and North Bengal. He also explores the growing Hindu-Muslim binary in Bengal politics, while cautioning against simplistic narratives like “vote bank politics”. Instead, he emphasises voter agency, local socio-economic realities, and the role of perception in shaping electoral behaviour. The discussion further unpacks how political parties—including the Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party—are navigating and, at times, amplifying identity-based narratives. Chapters: 00:00 | Introduction: Identity politics in Bengal 01:27 | From class to identity: Decline of Left politics 02:54 | Ethnicity and regional divides in Bengal 10:31 | Kurmi ST demand and tribal assertion 17:45 | Religion and the Hindu-Muslim binary 24:03 | Myth of vote bank politics 26:40 | BJP vs Trinamool: Narrative vs reality 32:23 | Election outlook and predictions Perfect for: - Students of political science and sociology - UPSC aspirants tracking Indian elections and society - Journalists covering elections, identity, and governance - Political observers interested in West Bengal politics - Anyone trying to understand how identity shapes modern elections Credits: Host: Suhrid Sankar Chattopadhyay Editing: Razal Pareed Producers: Kavya Pradeep M and Mridula Vijayarangakumar If you found this discussion insightful, don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to Frontline for more in-depth conversations. Subscribe to Frontline: https://frontline.thehindu.com/online-subscription/ Follow us on: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/frontlineindia/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/frontline_india Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/frontline.magazine LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/frontline-magazine-b12921295/ #WestBengalElections #BengalPolls #IdentityPolitics #Elections2026 #BJPvsTMC #bengalelections #bjpbengal #VoteBankPolitics #IndianPolitics #tmcbengal #UPSCCurrentAffairs #ElectionExplained #HinduMuslimvotebank #mamatabengal