बांग्लादेशी नारे नहीं बने सहारे: ममता हारीं संग्राम, बंगाल बोला-जय श्रीराम – Bangladeshi slogans reason for Mamata Banerjee defeat in Bengal opns2
This time there has been a unique turn in the politics of West Bengal. For TMC, which had won in the last three assembly elections, the Ganga is flowing in reverse in the results of 2026 assembly elections. Mamata Banerjee might not have imagined such a big defeat at all. In fact, in this time’s assembly elections, the same things which were proving to be a boon for the party in the previous elections became a curse for TMC. The slogans ‘Jai Bangla’, ‘Maa-Mati-Manush’ and ‘Khela Hobe’ borrowed from Bangladesh for decades are no longer acceptable to the public. Mamata Banerjee made these slogans from the Mujib era of 1971 to the Awami League of 2013 the basis of her politics. But in the 2026 assembly elections, the public has given a clear message that borrowed things are no longer working. As the atmosphere changed, the same Bangladesh slogans which were liked by the people earlier started stinging the people. Let us see what were the reasons that Mamata was betrayed by the old slogans this time.
Borrowed slogans became symbols of appeasement
The changing demography of Bengal and bangladesh The news of oppression of Hindus forced the people of Bengal to think. The slogan ‘Jai Bangla’ dates back to 1971. This slogan was the battle cry of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Mukti Bahini during the Bangladesh Liberation War. This slogan was echoed in Mujib’s historic speech on 7 March 1971. ‘Joy Bangla’ became a symbol of Bangladeshi nationalism in the fight for independence. Mamata Banerjee used it a lot in the West Bengal elections. But it was basically the slogan of the soil of Bangladesh. Mamta Banerjee used to repeat this again and again in TMC rallies. In the 2021 elections, he beat the drum of Bengali identity by mixing ‘Maa-Mati-Manush’ with ‘Jai Bangla’. But today when there are reports of violence, infiltration and communal tension in Bengal, people ask who is winning? Of Bangladeshi infiltrators or of Bengali Hindus?
‘Maa-Mati-Manush’ has also been a borrowed slogan. Begum Khaleda Zia’s BNP made it its election tagline in the 1991 Bangladesh elections. To Maa (love of motherland), Mati (land) and Manush (people). Mamata Banerjee Adopted between 2007-2011. This slogan was used a lot during the Nandigram-Singur movement against the Lal government. This slogan ended 34 years of Left rule. Mamta raised the slogan ‘Maa Mati Manush’, but after coming to power this slogan proved to be hollow. Today mothers (mothers) are unsafe in Sandeshkhali, syndicate rule prevails over the soil (land) and manush (people) are suffering from unemployment, infiltration and appeasement. In the election trends of 2026, where BJP is ahead on 194 seats (as of 2.20 pm), TMC’s ‘Maa-Mati-Manush’ model is collapsing.
The third slogan ‘Khela Hobe’ is from 2013. Bangladesh’s Awami League leader Shamim Usman had said in an election rally in Narayanganj that ‘Whom do you teach to play?’ We are players since childhood, we can play. This was the battle cry of Awami League versus BNP-Jamaat. Mamata Banerjee adopted it in the 2021 Bengal elections. ‘Khela Hobe’ became the aggressive slogan of TMC. But later Bangladesh’s game came to Bengal in the form of election violence and atrocities on women. The public is now asking what kind of game is this? In 2026, the public answered ‘Khela Hobe’. ‘The game is over, now there will be accounts’.
TMC’s politics was based on Bangladeshi politics
The entire model of TMC politics was based on copying Bangladeshi politics. Mamata promoted Bengali nationalism, but that nationalism had Bangladeshi colours. Awami League’s appeasement policies, pressure on minorities and going to any extent for power were all visible in TMC. In Bengal, Bengali pride was taken to such a level that an attempt was made to make those who raised slogans of Jai Shri Ram and Hindi speakers the enemies of Bengal. Sandeshkhali incident, RG tax rape-murder, terror of TMC goons, shelter to Bangladeshi infiltrators etc. became the reality of ‘Maa-Mati-Manush’. The public now understood that the emphasis on Bangladeshi strategy is only a strategy to woo Bangladeshis.
TMC’s promise made in 2011 remained unfulfilled
TMC has west bengal The Left was uprooted by promising change. But after 15 years, Bengal has lost hope of change. Unemployment is at its peak. Youth are migrating to neighboring states. Industries are not coming because syndicates and heavy handedness rule. Education and health systems have collapsed. The question of women’s safety has become the biggest problem. When the Chief Minister herself remains silent on the issue of women or is seen saving the culprits, the slogan of ‘Maa’ becomes a satire.
Bengali pride backfired
Mamata used slogans from Bangladesh to awaken Bengali pride, but that pride is now breaking. The people of Bengal saw that ‘Jai Bangla’ meant imitation of Bangladeshi culture and politics. Whereas the real Bengali identity is the legacy of Ramakrishna, Vivekananda, Rabindranath, Netaji and Syama Prasad Mukherjee. TMC suppressed it. Ban on Hindu festivals, controversy over Durga immersion, attacks on temples etc. were challenging the cultural identity of Bengal. Where TMC had won with an overwhelming majority in 2021, now BJP is strongly ahead. In rural Bengal, where the slogan of ‘Mati’ was most prevalent, the wind of change was now clearly visible. Dependence on Muslim vote bank distanced TMC from Hindu votes. The game of ‘bohiragato’ (outsider) versus ‘homebody’ is also backfiring. The public understood that the real danger lay within. Corruption, appeasement and communal division.
The most painful aspect of Mamata Banerjee’s politics was that she moved Bengal away from the path of development and towards vote bank politics. The slogan of ‘Maa-Mati-Manush’ has now become a satire. When mothers are crying, soil is being sold and humans are migrating, then how will slogans work? In Bangladesh also the people revolted against the Awami League. In this election, the people of Bengal proved that reality matters more than slogans. If TMC wants to come back to power, it will have to leave its original slogans and pursue politics of real development, security and inclusion.
SIR’s opposition put the last nail in the coffin
The biggest reason for the defeat of Trinamool Congress in West Bengal was the opposition to SIR (Special Intensive Revision). Mamata Banerjee strongly opposed this special intensive revision of the voter list, calling it a conspiracy by BJP and a form of NRC. Tried everything from dharna, rally, petition in Supreme Court. But the public considered it a strategy to save Bangladeshis.
About 90 lakh names were removed from the voter list in SIR. TMC made it a fight to save the name of Muslim and Bangladeshi infiltrators. But in rural Bengal and Hindu dominated areas, the public saw that infiltration, fake voters and syndicate raj were being challenged. Mamata’s opposition was actually a defense of her appeasement model. BJP made it a fight for clean voter list and real Bengali interest. As a result, Mamata’s strategy backfired. The public felt that BJP was talking about their interests while Didi was talking about the interests of Bangladeshis.
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