In a significant political development ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections, Chandra Kumar Bose, grandnephew of Subhas Chandra Bose, has joined the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), sharply criticising the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and accusing it of “dividing communities for vote bank politics.”

Speaking to ANI after formally joining the TMC, Bose drew a strong parallel between the BJP’s political approach and British colonial strategy.

“The BJP is against the Constitution because its one-point agenda is to divide and rule. The British followed the same policy, and the BJP is practising it now,” he said.

He further alleged that the BJP’s use of religion in politics runs contrary to the ideals upheld by Netaji and his family.

“They bring religion into politics, a policy which was vehemently opposed by my grandfather, Sarat Chandra Bose, and his younger brother, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose,” Bose stated.

Clarifying his political shift, Bose said his decision was driven by ideological differences rather than immediate political gain.

“I cannot accept the BJP’s way of thinking. I left the party and did not immediately join another. After careful consideration, I found that the TMC comes close to following an inclusive and secular ideology,” he added.

Bose had resigned from the BJP in September 2023, ending a nine-year association with the party. His move to join the TMC now comes at a crucial juncture, with West Bengal heading into a high-stakes electoral contest.

Expressing confidence in the leadership of Mamata Banerjee, Bose predicted a decisive victory for the ruling party.

“We are having the state elections in Bengal. The TMC will definitely come out victorious… Mamata Banerjee would be victorious,” he said.

West Bengal is set to vote in two phases on April 23 and April 29, with results scheduled for May 4.

The upcoming elections follow the 2021 Assembly polls, where the TMC secured a landslide victory with 213 seats.

However, the BJP’s rise to 77 seats in that election has intensified the contest, setting the stage for another fierce political battle.

Bose’s entry into the TMC is expected to add symbolic and political weight to the party’s campaign, especially given his lineage and vocal ideological positioning.