BJP 'thanks' Rahul Gandhi on social media - but why? WATCH

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday appeared to thank Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on social media after sharing a clipped remark of his targeting West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, a move that quickly drew attention amid the ongoing Assembly polls

The BJP’s Bengal unit posted a 13-second excerpt from a longer video message shared by Gandhi on his official X handle, highlighting a line in which he said, “If Mamataji had run a clean government, if she hadn’t polarised the state to this extent, the road would not have been cleared for the BJP.”

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Seizing on the remark, the party framed it as an endorsement of its criticism of the ruling All India Trinamool Congress, even going on to thank Gandhi for what it described as his “honesty”.

Why the BJP amplified Rahul’s remark

The clip, however, was part of a longer 1.47-minute message in which Gandhi sharply criticised the BJP, warning about its impact on democratic institutions.

“The BJP steals elections... The BJP is against Bengal’s culture, history, and language... We are trying to protect the Constitution,” he said in the full video, sections that were not highlighted by the BJP.

The selective amplification turned the clip into a political tool, allowing the BJP to spotlight divisions within opposition ranks while reinforcing its narrative against the TMC during a crucial voting phase.

Mamata Banerjee hits back

Responding at a rally in Bowbazar, Mamata Banerjee dismissed the BJP’s messaging and projected confidence in her party’s standing.

“If I can understand the pulse of the people, then let me tell you that we are already in the driver’s seat,” she said, asserting that the Trinamool Congress remains ahead in the two-phase election.

Banerjee also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of making misleading claims about the BJP’s prospects in the state. “A respectable chair must not spread lies... He came to threaten the administration since they don’t have workers on the ground,” she said.

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Campaign rhetoric intensifies

While Banerjee largely sidestepped Gandhi’s remarks, she reiterated her broader political objective of challenging the BJP at the national level.

“I am not interested in any post... I only want the end of the BJP government in Delhi,” she said, adding that the party’s “tough time” would begin later this year.