Image for illustration purposes only. | Photo credit: File
Ahead of the 2026 assembly elections in West Bengal, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced a committee to frame its election manifesto. The party’s Sankalp Patra state committee for the assembly elections will be led by a former Trinamool Congress MLA who joined the BJP in March 2024.
Economist and MLA Ashok Lahiri will serve as the convener of the committee, while Agnimitra Paul, MLA from Asansol Dakshin, will be the co-convener. Other members include Chittaranjan Mandal, MP Manoj Tigga, senior BJP leader Swapan Dasgupta, Shishir Bajoria, Amalkanti Ray, Vaishali Dalmia, Anirban Ganguly and state BJP spokesperson Debjit Sarkar. This development assumes significance as the BJP has roped in several senior leaders with a wide range of experience in electoral politics and policy-making in the preparation of the party manifesto.
In another development, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will visit West Bengal on January 30 and 31. During his two-day trip, Mr. Shah is expected to hold key organizational and political meetings to review preparations for the upcoming assembly elections. Mr. Shah visited the state in the last week of December 2025 and addressed a press conference in Kolkata.
BJP president-elect Nitin Nabin will visit the state on January 27 along with Mr. Shah. This will be Mr. Nabin’s first visit to West Bengal after assuming office. He is scheduled to visit Durgapur and Asansol, areas considered BJP strongholds. However, the party failed to repeat its success in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections during the 2024 parliamentary elections.
Published – 25 Jan 2026 21:42 IST
