The BJP's historic win in West Bengal has set the stage for a potentially bolder phase of action against Mamata Banerjee and her party, the Trinamool Congress (TMC). In his post-result address, PM Narendra Modi may have struck a reconciliatory tone, saying "badla nahi, badlav". But past patterns in states where BJP has formed governments suggest that the ground reality could be very different and Didi could be facing the sharper end of the investigative axe shortly and the suggested "badlav" could very well translate into an intensified crackdown in the coming weeks.
Decisive electoral victories often provide governments with the mandate to take institutionalised revenge and that stands for parties cutting across political lines and not just the BJP. A case in point the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in Karnataka which went after the BJP leadership in the state. The AAP government in Punjab too has targeted opponents after coming to power. In West Bengal, the BJP had built its campaign around charges of corruption, "cut money" and "syndicate raj". In all likelihood, these issues will now be pursued more aggressively.
And there is precedent for this: In Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal's decade-long regime was upended after the BJP came to power. The top rung of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leadership faced sustained investigation in the excise policy case, with central agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) stepping up action over time. In Maharashtra, after the fall of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, several of its leaders came under renewed investigation, quite a few of whom then switched parties and defected to the NDA, to escape alleged scrutiny.
Similar patterns have been visible in other states, where a shift in political power has been followed by increased scrutiny of opposition leaders.
In Bengal, several cases could come under sharper focus. TheSandeshkhali violencewhich was a principal pincer of BJP's attack on Mamata is likely to see renewed scrutiny. Similarly, recruitment scams - particularly those involving government teaching jobs - and allegations of financial irregularities in welfare schemes could witness renewed investigations. Agencies may revisit cases that had slowed down earlier.
The alleged irregularities in theWest Bengal School Service Commission(SSC) and primary teacher recruitment processes has already drawn judicial intervention, with the Calcutta High Court cancelling thousands of appointments over what it termed a "tainted" selection process and ordering a CBI probe into the irregularities. The investigation led to several high-profile arrests, including that of former minister Partha Chatterjee, with the Enforcement Directorate also stepping in to probe alleged money laundering linked to the scam.
Another major scam was the Ration Distribution Scam in which investigations have focused on financial irregularities in the state's public distribution system. TMC MP Nusrat Jahan has been summoned for questioning regarding alleged money laundering linked to this case.
There have also been large scale ponzi scams such as the Saradha and Rose Valley schemes, as well as allegations of financial irregularities in welfare schemes - including diversion of funds, some of which are under scrutiny by agencies like the CBI. With a change in political equations, there is a strong possibility that these probes could be fast-tracked.
There is also the likelihood of a wider administrative reset. A change in power usually also brings with it a review of decisions taken under the previous regime. In Bengal, where the BJP repeatedly accused the state machinery of partisan rule, such a review could result in transfers, inquiries, and closer scrutiny of bureaucratic actions linked to the TMC's tenure.
However, the intensity of any crackdown will not just be shaped by political calculation but by the battle of optics. PM Modi's "badla nahi, badlav" remark reflects an awareness of that perception. The slightest hint of vendetta politics against Mamata Banerjee could allow her to regain ground by reviving her familiar narrative of "Centre versus Bengal".
Source: India Latest News, Breaking News Today, Top News Headlines | Times Now
