New Delhi: The Trinamool Congress on Wednesday officially launched its campaign for the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections with party national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee unveiling a large-scale youth-driven digital initiative titled “Ami Banglar Digital Joddha.”
The initiative marks the first formal step in TMC’s election push and is aimed at countering what the party describes as the BJP’s “anti-Bengal narrative” in the digital arena. It seeks to mobilise Bengal’s youth to reclaim the state’s online space and defend its cultural and political identity ahead of the polls.
Banerjee described Ami Banglar Digital Joddha as a people-powered digital movement with four clear goals — to lead Bengal’s digital movement, protect its spirit, celebrate its creativity and strengthen its future. The campaign will create a structured online network under three categories — Content Creators (The Creator Force), Social Media Managers (The Community Leaders) and Digital Amplifiers (The Force Multipliers).
“These digital volunteers will be tasked with countering misinformation, challenging divisive narratives and amplifying Bengal’s progressive voice across social media platforms”, a senior TMC functionary involved in the initiative told this newspaper.
Party functionaries said the launch under Abhishek Banerjee’s leadership signals the formal start of TMC’s 2026 campaign and reflects a clear strategy to engage Bengal’s young and tech-savvy voters as the state heads into another high-stakes electoral battle with the BJP.
As per feedback from the BJP’s state units and poll watchers, the BJP still needs to cover considerable ground to emerge as a credible challenger in West Bengal.
Once the Bihar elections conclude, the BJP’s full focus is expected to shift to Bengal, where Assembly polls are scheduled for May 2026.
The party continues to search for a face who can match Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s state-wide popularity and connect with local voters. In 2021, despite its most aggressive campaign and strong central backing, the BJP had fallen short, winning 77 seats against the TMC’s 213.
Party strategists privately admit that while the BJP’s vote share and visibility have grown since 2019, it still lacks the grassroots depth and emotional resonance needed to challenge Mamata’s dominance. The 2026 elections, they believe, will test whether the party can move beyond central leadership charisma and craft a Bengal-centric narrative that convinces voters that it truly understands the state.
