NEW DELHI: As the BJP surged ahead in West Bengal, Bengalis settled in Delhi-NCR shared their reactions to the regime change in their home state. While some said the saffron party’s victory reflected the TMC government’s failures, others expressed hope for improvements in commercialisation and job opportunities.
“One of the major reasons behind the shift in regime is misgovernance and infighting within the TMC,” said Pranati Chakraborty, a resident of CR Park in south Delhi and a former professor of Bengali at a Kolkata college. “On the other hand, the BJP has used the fear of Bangladeshi infiltrators among West Bengal residents and turned it in its favour,” she added.
Many residents said the change was necessary to curb rising political violence and open up new opportunities in business and employment. Several
Delhi-NCR residents who are registered voters in Bengal travelled to their hometowns to cast their votes.
Shubhasish Naskar, a Noida resident originally from Basirhat, said, “After staying for so long in the national capital and being surrounded by opportunities, we often feel bad for our home state.”
“I am not a supporter of either the TMC or the BJP, but a change in regime was extremely important to address the deplorable condition in the state,” he added. He also noted that the voter base in Bengal is strongly influenced by women, and the results reflect their choices.
“Women have now realised that schemes like Lakkhir Bhandar provide only temporary relief and do not address long-term issues. So, this result does speak volumes about the women voter base, I believe,” he said.
Rajarshi Datta, a Delhi resident and long-time voter in West Bengal, said, “A government of the same party at the Centre and in the state is good for West Bengal and its people.” “With the same party in power, agreements like the Teesta treaty and renewal of other arrangements will be easier,” he added.
On the TMC’s over 15-year rule, Datta said, “There has been prolonged minority appeasement. People have been fed up… and that has contributed to the result.” He also pointed to negative voting: “Many people voted against the TMC to remove it. It is a mix of anti-incumbency and consolidation of Hindu and Adivasi votes in favour of the BJP. I would not discount either factor.”