The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) recently launched a new membership drive in north Bengal, aiming to strengthen its grassroots presence ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. However, the drive has struggled to meet its target set by the party’s central leadership.

Despite being a stronghold for the BJP since 2019, the membership drive has not yielded the expected results. The party aimed to enroll one crore new members across the state, but sources reveal that only about 25 per cent of the target has been achieved so far.

Insiders suggest that many BJP supporters are hesitant to openly declare their political affiliations, fearing repercussions from ruling Trinamul Congress (TMC) leaders in their local areas. Meanwhile, the TMC has already begun groundwork in preparation for the 2026 elections, focusing on retaining power under chief minister Mamata Banerjee.

In this context, a BJP organisational meeting was held in Siliguri yesterday, attended by BJP national general secretary (organization) B L Santhosh, Darjeeling MP Raju Bista, and other senior leaders. The meeting reviewed the progress of the membership drive and discussed strategies to strengthen the party’s presence in the Darjeeling Hills, Terai, and Dooars regions.

During the meeting, Mr Santhosh urged party workers to remain dedicated and selfless, emphasising the need to promote BJP’s “Nation First” ideology and connect more people at the grassroots level. He interacted with elected MLAs, district leaders, and key coordinators of the membership drive.

The BJP failed to retain the Madarihat Assembly segment in Alipurduar in the recent by-polls, marking a significant development as the Trinamul Congress (TMC) secured the seat for the first time since 2011.

Darjeeling MP Raju Bista highlighted BJP’s growing acceptance in the northeast, attributing it to the party’s sincere efforts under Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address the region’s developmental and political concerns. He claimed that the BJP has been recognised as the only party truly addressing the aspirations of the people, leading to a significant rise in membership in the region.

The meeting also included West Bengal BJP general secretary (organization) Amitava Chakraborty and other senior state and district leaders.

As the BJP continues its membership drive, it remains to be seen how the party navigates the challenges posed by local dynamics and the ruling TMC’s proactive approach.