'Will do anything to make Bengal's throne ours': BJP's Mithun Chakraborty at Kolkata rally

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party will do anything to remove Trinamool Congress in Bengal in 2026, Mithun Chakraborty , the recipient of this year's Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India's highest film honour, confidently declared on Sunday.

The actor made this assertion during a felicitation ceremony by Union Home Minister Amit Shah at the launch of BJP 's membership drive in West Bengal , held at the Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre (EZCC).

Chakraborty emphasized his commitment to achieving this goal, stating, "In 2026, the masnad (throne) will be ours and we will do everything to achieve the goal."

The former Rajya Sabha member expressed his disappointment with the BJP's performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where the party's seat count in West Bengal decreased from 18 in 2019 to 12 out of the total 42 constituencies.

Chakraborty revealed that he had campaigned for the party for 37 days leading up to the elections.

During the event, the actor urged BJP functionaries to work towards securing one crore memberships in the ongoing campaign, which is set to conclude on November 30. He also announced his intention to participate in the membership campaign in the state come November.

Chakraborty issued a stern warning against any attempts to intimidate BJP voters and prevent them from exercising their right to vote in the upcoming assembly elections. He called upon the party's booth-level workers to remain vigilant and resist any such efforts to ensure a fair and democratic electoral process.

TMC supports 'state-sponsored infiltration,' Amit Shah alleges

Union home minister Amit Shah has accused the TMC government of supporting "state-sponsored infiltration" and declared the BJP's primary objective is to secure a government in the state during the 2026 Assembly elections.

Shah, who was there at the event with Mithun Chakraborty, highlighted the party's growth from its origins as the Bharatiya Jana Sangh to becoming the world's largest political party.

"In Bengal, state-sponsored infiltration must be stopped. Joining the BJP in Bengal means joining the mission to free the state from the grip of communists and Mamata Didi. This is a border state, and with the way infiltration is being supported at a state level, there is only one solution: a BJP government in 2026. To combat cow and coal smuggling, we need to enlist one crore BJP members in West Bengal," Shah said in the event in EZCC.

The Union Home Minister also criticized the Mamata government over the RG Kar rape-murder case on August 9, asserting that women's safety is at risk in Bengal. He stated, "The dignity of mothers and sisters is being violated in Bengal. Incidents like Sandeshkhali and RG Kar must be stopped, which will only happen if the BJP forms a government in 2026. In 2026, we will secure a two-thirds majority in West Bengal."

Furthermore, Shah questioned Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's claims that the central government does not provide sufficient funds to Bengal. He pointed out that from 2004 to 2014, the UPA government allocated Rs 2.9 lakh crore to Bengal, while from 2014 to 2024, the NDA government provided Rs 7.74 lakh crore.