From CPMOOL to Ram-Bam: How acronyms are driving WB’s election drama

Kolkata: In West Bengal, a few words carry the political weight and intrigue of “setting”, the allegation of secret deals or covert understandings among rival parties. With the 2026 Assembly elections approaching, the term has resurfaced as a sharp political tool, shaping narratives, suspicion, and electoral strategy across the state.

If Bengal politics thrives as much on perception as ideology, then “setting” remains its most durable shorthand, a charge every major party levels against the other. The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), principal opposition BJP, the CPM-led Left Front, and the Congress all invoke it in different tones: accusation, satire, and sometimes, pure electoral strategy.

Also read | West Bengal Assembly Election 2026: Healthcare gaps, pollution worries voter mood in Siliguri

Humour often accompanies accusation in Bengal’s theatrical political culture. Terms such as “CPMOOL” (CPM-TMC), “Bijemool” (BJP-TMC), and “Ram-Bam” (BJP-Left) have entered everyday political conversation, blurring satire and strategy.

TMC’s long-standing “Ram-Bam” narrative suggests that Left votes gradually migrated to the BJP after 2019, fuelling the saffron surge. Conversely, CPM accuses rivals of benefiting from each other’s presence, while BJP portrays TMC and Left forces as tactical collaborators whenever electoral equations demand.

Also read | ‘We are terrorised, not weaponised’: ED’s explosive claim against Mamata govt in Supreme Court.

With the polls just months away, rhetoric has sharpened. Governance issues often take a backseat as allegations of covert alliances dominate speeches, digital campaigns, and even AI-driven memes that amplify whispers into mainstream political narratives.

TMC leader Kunal Ghosh dismissed such claims, saying, "Those who cannot challenge us politically keep inventing theories of 'setting'. The real setting is among defeated forces trying to stay relevant."

Also read | Rajya Sabha poll dates announced; alliance talks intensify in Tamil Nadu for six seats

State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya framed it differently. "People have seen how opposition votes get fragmented in crucial seats and help the ruling party."
He argued that the Left and Congress have indirectly aided the TMC in several contests. Senior CPM leader Sujan Chakraborty said, "We keep raising governance issues, but the narrative is deliberately diverted."

Also read | West Bengal Assembly Polls: Alipurduar residents seek jobs, healthcare and tea garden development

Congress veteran Adhir Chowdhury added, "Past instances have shown that the TMC acts like the BJP's Trojan horse in the opposition camp and how the BJP is helping the Trinamool Congress in Bengal."

Adding a new twist, suspended TMC MLA Humayun Kabir and his proposed Janata Unnayan Party have fueled speculation about altering vote equations, with reports of his talks with Left circles and minority-focused forces reinforcing the “setting” discourse.

Also read | WB Election 2026: Flood-hit Hasimara residents demand protection for tea gardens

TMC leaders accuse emerging parties of indirectly aiding the BJP by dividing anti-TMC votes. Similar allegations have been made against ISF and AIMIM, both of whom reject the charge and insist they represent independent voices.

For the BJP, the narrative helps consolidate anti-incumbency sentiment while appealing to voters disillusioned with TMC and Left alike. For TMC, branding smaller formations as “vote-cutters” reinforces minority and secular consolidation. Meanwhile, CPM and Congress deploy the theory to portray rivals as beneficiaries of a managed bipolar contest.

Political analysts note that such accusations thrive on ambiguity, needing little proof. Every delayed investigation or tactical silence becomes fodder for speculation. Suman Bhattacharya, a political analyst, observed:

"It is a narrative that thrives on ambiguity based on the nature of the centre-state relationship. People connect dots even when there may be none."

The term “setting” is far from new. It dates back to the 1967 United Front experiment, when the Congress breakaway Bangla Congress and CPM formed the first non-Congress government. Allegations of covert understanding with Delhi’s Congress leadership surfaced frequently. Later, during the Left Front era, TMC repeatedly accused Congress and CPM of tactical proximity, popularising the term “tormuj” (watermelon) to describe state Congress leaders appearing green outside but red inside, a metaphor for public opposition masking private alignment.

Even seemingly routine interactions, such as courtesy meetings between adversaries, have historically fed the “setting” narrative. One famous example is the “fish fry meeting” between CM Mamata Banerjee and Left leaders after the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Similarly, TMC’s abstention during the 2022 vice presidential election was seized upon as proof of tactical ambiguity, though the party maintained it was a protest against opposition consultation processes.

Legal and investigative developments also fuel the discourse. Delays in central agency probes, including cases like chit funds or ED-I-PAC raids, provide ammunition for rival camps, keeping the debate alive.

In Bengal, “setting” has moved from corridor gossip to campaign currency, denied publicly, yet eagerly consumed by voters, shaping perception as much as policy in the run-up to the 2026 polls.