Poll Diary

West Bengal fares the worst in terms of having a non-Hindu upper caste chief minister among major Indian states. The only thing as entrenched in West Bengal politics as upper Hindu upper caste dominance is Kolkata dominance.

West Bengal has a very large share of both Dalits and Muslims in its population. In many districts in the state, the combined population of just Muslims and SCs is more than 50% of the total population.

Social burden of Bengal's regional exceptionalism Part1:hindustantimes.com/s/1Sh36R7 @Roshanjnu @naalmot

Raghav Chadha could not have defected or split the Aam Aadmi Party — if his own Bill had passed indianexpress.com/article/politi…

Samrat Choudhary's Rise: From Youngest Minister to BJP's First Bihar CM @samrat4bjp is a prominent BJP leader in Bihar and a key face of the Kushwaha community among OBCs, with a steady rise across parties and positions. Political Journey Comes from a seasoned political family. His father, Shakuni Choudhary, was a veteran leader and six-time MLA. Early Start in RJD: Began his career with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and, in 1999, became one of the youngest ministers in the Rabri Devi government. Shift to JD(U): Later moved to the Janata Dal (United), serving as a minister in Nitish Kumar's cabinet. Rise in BJP: Joined the BJP in 2017, where his political stature grew rapidly, positioning him as a key state-level leader. Key Positions Held State President, Bihar BJP (2023): Led the party’s organisational expansion in the state. Deputy Chief Minister (2024): Appointed after JD(U)'s return to the NDA alliance. Member of Legislative Council (MLC): Currently represents the party in the Bihar Legislative Council. Known for sharp oratory and strong attacks on political opponents. #Bihar

The #Matuas have largely voted as a bloc, barring occasional splinters, shifting allegiance not ideologically, but strategically. From Congress to the Left Front, then to Trinamool under Mamata Banerjee’s outreach to Baro Ma, and later to the BJP with hopes of citizenship, their vote has followed power and protection. Unlike Muslim voters, who have largely aligned with “secular” formations, the Matua calculus has been rooted in security of identity, refugee status, and settlement rights. But 2026 changes that script. The #SIR has disrupted the very basis of that strategy. For the first time, the Matua community is not voting as a bloc. Instead, it stands fractured, divided not just by politics, but by the voter list itself. Read our #groundreport from #Thakurnagar, the Matua heartland. #BengalElection2026

राज्यसभा उपसभापति बने रहेंगे हरिवंश, सरकार की चाहत- निर्विरोध निर्वाचन, कांग्रेस ने लगाया अड़ंगा ndtv.in/india/harivans…

पश्चिम बंगाल में 25 साल सत्ता में रही कांग्रेस, 1977 के बाद अपना सीएम नहीं बना पाई, अब कोई विधायक भी नहीं, जानिए पश्चिम बंगाल में सत्ता से दूर कैसे हुई कांग्रेस और आज भी सरकार बनाने की दौड़ से बहुत पीछे क्यों है dainik.bhaskar.com/WTj1Eptaf2b #AssemblyElections2026 #ElectionWithBhaskar #WestBengalElection By @smaurya_journo | @journalistibm

Humayun Kabir’s revelations have shown how vulnerable Bengal’s Muslims are. That AIMIM cannot associate with any statements where integrity of Muslims is brought into question. As of today, AIMIM has withdrawn its alliance with Kabir’s party. Bengal’s Muslims are one of the poorest, neglected and oppressed communities. Despite decades of secular rule, nothing has been done for them. AIMIM’s policy in contesting elections in any state is so that the marginalised communities have an independent political voice. We will be contesting the Bengal elections INDEPENDENTLY and have will have no alliance with any party going forward.

SIR Exercise & 2026 Assembly elections read these two pieces (published on march 3, April 8) by @naalmot & @Roshanjnu together to understand why its much more contested in West Bengal

As Kerala votes today, two interesting pieces to read: @vargheseKgeorge on how BJP is the known unknown: thehindu.com/elections/kera… @TheKochukudy on how BJP may block UDF from a landslide: theprint.in/opinion/kerala… this is why despite a familiar winner, we may see a change 👇

Kerala’s religious diversity is the largest in India among big states. It follows the usual pattern in inter religion inequality but has lost its edge vis-a-vis the country in the last decade & half - I worked with @naalmot on the story

46 Years Of BJP: 1980 का अटल बीज मंत्र, पालमपुर प्रस्ताव, NDA, मोदी का उदय; भारतीय जनता पार्टी के 10 टर्निंग पॉइंट ndtv.in/india/bhartiya… via @ndtvindia

Punjab BJP President makes it clear that Raghav Chadha is headed to BJP.

Can Gaurav Gogoi restore his father’s Cong bastion in Assam? 1. Elder Gogoi led Congress to multiple victories- a large part of his support came from non-muslim dominated constituencies. hindustantimes.com/s/1PJVUbw @Roshanjnu

बंगाल का रण जारी है।

The 2021 West Bengal Assembly election was a story shaped strongly by demographics. In constituencies where Muslims make up less than 30% of the electorate (193 seats), the contest was relatively competitive. TMC won 119 seats, while the BJP secured 74. But the picture changes dramatically as the Muslim population rises. In constituencies with more than 30% Muslim electorate (101 seats), TMC’s dominance becomes absolute, winning 97 seats. The BJP, on the other hand, dropped sharply to just 3 seats, with ISF winning 1. Push this further to constituencies where Muslims form over 50% of the population (47 seats), a stunning picture emerges. TMC wins 46 out of 47 seats. BJP wins Zero. ISF was able to secure a single seat in Bhangar, a Muslim-majority constituency, where Pirzada Mohammad Naushad Siddiqui, from the Furfura Sharif Dargah, won as the lone ISF MLA. What stands out is how decisively voting patterns align with demographic composition. In areas with higher Muslim concentration, there was near total consolidation behind TMC - the backbone of its landslide victory. In the end, the 2021 verdict showed how deeply demographics and electoral outcomes were intertwined. TMC’s sweep was powered by consolidation in key belts, while the BJP’s rise remained concentrated in areas where the Hindu population was in larger numbers.

The roots of BJP’s existing dominance in Assam. hindustantimes.com/s/1P1QTk8 @Roshanjnu

Give BJP ‘ik mauka’ in 2027, will ban conversions first: Shah toi.in/I2aolY via @timesofindia

Election Commission of India @ECISVEEP Press Conference At 4 PM today: Schedule For Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam, West Bengal & Puducherry Polls @sanjeevrsingh @CMOTamilnadu @LGov_Puducherry @CMOfficeAssam @manaman_chhina @MamataOfficial