The state BJP is looking to gain political advantage in the 2026 Assembly elections over the Waqf property issue. The saffron party has intensified its attack on the ruling Trinamul Congress (TMC) in West Bengal over an alleged land conversion case in the Bankura district. The Leader of the Opposition in the Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, has written to the Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, urging central intervention in what he termed as a “shocking case of government land grabbing” through its alleged conversion into Waqf property.

Mr Adhikari has also sent a letter to the West Bengal government, questioning the legality of the move and warning of street protests if the matter is not addressed promptly. He alleged that a 0.9-acre government-owned plot in Bankura’s Machantala area (Mouza: Bankura, JL No. 211) was recently transferred to the Abdul Rahim Ali Waqf Estate under suspicious circumstances. According to Mr Adhikari, the land was originally listed under the state government’s 1st Schedule, which records state-owned properties. However, on 30 January, a new land schedule was reportedly created, reclassifying the plot as private property under the Waqf board. The Block Land & Land Reforms Officer (B.L&L.R.O) allegedly failed to provide a valid explanation for this sudden change. Furthermore, Mr Adhikari claimed that Bankura district officials—Additional District Magistrate (L.R.) & DL&LRO Vivek Dattatraya Bhasme and District Magistrate Siyad N.may have acted under political pressure to approve the land transfer.

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“This is nothing but appeasement politics at its peak and a blatant misuse of power. A piece of land belonging to the state government has been handed over to a particular community for political gains. The timing of this move, just before the Waqf Amendment Bill becomes law, raises serious questions,” Mr Adhikari said. The controversy comes at a time when the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) has submitted its report on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which proposes significant changes to the existing Waqf Act, 1995. The BJP has been vocal against alleged irregularities in Waqf property acquisitions, and Mr Adhikari’s allegations could become a major political flashpoint ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. The Leader of the Opposition has demanded a thorough investigation and warned that the matter could reach the judiciary if satisfactory answers are not provided. BJP leaders have also hinted at statewide protests, signalling a heated political battle in the coming days.