Communal remarks: “Muslims backed Mamata, Hindus supported me”: Suvendu Adhikari calls win a “victory for Hindutva”
M.U.H
05/05/202615
Soon after defeating Mamata Banerjee, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari made a communal remark, stating that Muslims largely supported Banerjee while Hindus and other communities backed him, and described the result as a “victory for Hindutva.”
This comes after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee lost the Bhabanipur Assembly constituency to BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari by a margin of 15,105 votes.
“Muslims voted for Mamata Banerjee, who wears a hijab,” Adhikari said.
Suvendu Adhikari said that “this is Mamata Banerjee’s retirement from politics… this time too she lost by over 15,000 votes,” adding that “Muslims voted for her openly; in Ward No. 77 all the Muslims who came out to vote voted for Mamata, while Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists blessed me and made me win,” and calling the result “a victory for Hindutva.”
He further claimed that “all the CPM’s strong supporters voted for me… at least 10,000 of their 13,000 votes in the Bhabanipur Assembly constituency were transferred to me,” while thanking Left voters and asserting that “all the Bengali Hindus voted openly for me.”
Similarly, during a media interaction at a counting centre, Suvendu Adhikari said, “Hindu EVM BJP, Muslim EVM TMC,” suggesting that Hindu voters backed the Bharatiya Janata Party while Muslim voters supported the All India Trinamool Congress.
Suvendu Adhikari has a record of remarks that have drawn criticism as communal, particularly during election campaigns and public rallies.
His statements have included calls to “throw Muslim MLAs out” of the Assembly if the Bharatiya Janata Party comes to power.
In December 2025, while reacting to reported attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh, he said India should “teach Bangladesh a lesson like Israel taught Gaza,” adding that “our 100 crore Hindus and the government working in the interest of Hindus must teach them a lesson,” a statement widely criticised as a genocidal call.
In 2024, following the BJP’s Lok Sabha performance, he publicly called for dropping the party’s inclusive slogan “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas” (Together with all, development for all), arguing that Muslims do not vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party.
He instead proposed the line “Jo hamare saath, hum unke saath” (We will stand with those who stand with us), signalling a shift toward more exclusivist political messaging, which drew sharp reactions from opposition parties.
In July 2025, he advised Bengalis to avoid travelling to Muslim-majority areas, particularly in Kashmir, suggesting they visit Jammu instead, a remark criticised for stereotyping communities and deepening social divisions.
During the 2026 election campaign, he was also accused of making remarks linking development benefits to religious identity, including a controversial statement in a viral clip where he allegedly suggested support for those who “change their religion,” which opponents said promoted segregation.
In another instance in Nandigram, he warned Muslim migrant workers from other states that they could face consequences in BJP-ruled areas if they “make a mistake,” further intensifying criticism.
Across speeches and campaigns, he has frequently referred to “Bangladeshi Muslim intruders” and called for their removal from voter rolls, while also accusing the All India Trinamool Congress of running a “Muslim League 2.0”-style government.
Critics, including leaders from the All India Trinamool Congress and other opposition groups, have accused him of promoting communal polarisation through campaign rhetoric that highlights religious voting patterns.
Following her defeat, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged large-scale irregularities, claiming “more than 100 seats were looted” and accusing the Election Commission of bias. Calling the outcome an “immoral victory,” she said the process was “totally illegal” and asserted that her party would “bounce back.”
Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, alleged that elections in Assam and West Bengal were “stolen” by the Bharatiya Janata Party with the support of the Election Commission of India, saying, “We agree with Mamata Banerjee… more than 100 seats were stolen in Bengal,” and claimed similar patterns had been seen in Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra and the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
