BJP's 'bhadralok' candidates turn TMC bastions saffron

KOLKATA: 'Bhadralok' neighbourhoods of north and south Kolkata - considered impenetrable fortresses of TMC for over a decade - decisively flipped these elections, revealing a metropolitan electorate that traded its traditional allegiance for a "new beginning" under BJP.

Professor Maidul Islam said, "There has been a demographic shift in 15 years. Non-Bengali vote share has increased in Kolkata. Then, there are high-rises, where residents are drawn to the idea of having the same party at the Centre and state. Young voters' consciousness is shaped by social media, mainstream cinema and series, which act as direct or indirect propaganda."



For years, BJP was branded 'bahiragata (outsider)'. In 2026, its deployment of "intellectual insiders" played a key role in sanitising its image for a cosmopolitan palate. The selection of Swapan Dasgupta, journalist and Padma Bhushan awardee, for a culturally sensitive seat like Rashbehari and doctors such as Sharadwat Mukherjee in Bidhannagar and Indranil Khan in Behala West helped bridge the gap between the party's saffron roots and the 'bhadralok' demand for sophistication.

'Bhadralok' is a colloquial term that refers to the city's well-heeled gentry.

Political scientist Sayoni Chowdhury said, "We are seeing a consolidation of a neo-middle class that is less tethered to the Left legacy or the early TMC years."

Political analyst Udayan Banerjee said making Samik Bhattacharya BJP's state chief was a strategic move, as he had an intellectual persona. A south Kolkata resident said, "Seeing candidates who speak our language - both literally and intellectually - made BJP feel less like a Delhi imposition."