In West Bengal politics, few words carry as much intrigue as “setting” — the allegation of covert understandings among rival parties. With the 2026 assembly elections approaching, the term has resurfaced as a potent political tool, shaping narratives, suspicion, and electoral strategy.
If Bengal politics thrives as much on perception as ideology, “setting” remains its most enduring shorthand, a charge every major party levels against the others. The ruling TMC, principal opposition BJP, the CPI(M)-led Left Front, and Congress invoke it in varying tones — accusation, satire, and often electoral strategy.
Humour frequently accompanies accusation in Bengal’s theatrical political culture. Terms such as “CPMOOL (CPI(M)-Trinamool)”, “Bijemool (BJP-TMC)”, and “Ram-Bam (BJP-Left)” have entered everyday conversation, blurring satire and strategy.
The TMC’s longstanding “Ram-Bam” line suggests Left votes gradually migrated to the BJP after 2019, strengthening the saffron surge. The CPI(M) accuses the two main rivals of benefiting from each other’s existence, while BJP leaders portray TMC and Left forces as tactical collaborators whenever electoral equations demand.
With state polls only months away, rhetoric has sharpened, shifting focus from governance to covert alliance allegations. Speeches, digital campaigns, and AI-driven memes have amplified whispers into mainstream narratives across Bengal.
TMC leader Kunal Ghosh dismissed such allegations, saying, "Those who cannot challenge us politically keep inventing theories of 'setting'. The real setting is among defeated forces trying to stay relevant."
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 said, arguing that the Left and Congress have indirectly aided the TMC in several contests.
Senior CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty claimed the "politics of fear and convenience" between the BJP and TMC benefits both. "We keep raising governance issues, but the narrative is deliberately diverted," he added.
Congress veteran Adhir Chowdhury highlighted the role of personalities over ideology. "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," he said.
A new thread in the narrative is suspended TMC MLA Humayun Kabir and his proposed Janata Unnayan Party. Kabir’s reported talks with Left circles and possible engagement with minority-focused forces have fuelled speculation that these formations are designed to alter vote equations, reinforcing the “setting” discourse.
TMC leaders allege emerging parties indirectly aid the BJP by splitting anti-TMC votes. Similar claims have been made against ISF and AIMIM, who reject them and insist they represent independent voices.
For the BJP, the narrative consolidates anti-incumbency sentiment while appealing to voters disillusioned with both TMC and the Left. For TMC, branding smaller formations as “vote-cutters” reinforces minority and secular consolidation. For CPI(M) and Congress, the theory casts both larger rivals as beneficiaries of a managed bipolar contest.
Political analysts note such accusations persist because they require little proof. Every delayed investigation or tactical silence becomes fodder for speculation. "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," said political analyst Suman Bhattacharya.
The “setting” theory is not new. It dates back to the 1967 experiment of the first non-Congress government, the United Front alliance between the Congress breakaway Bangla Congress and CPI(M), when leaders of Bangla Congress, headed by then CM Ajoy Mukherjee, were alleged to maintain covert ties with the Congress high command in Delhi.
During the Left Front era, the TMC repeatedly accused Congress and CPI(M) of tactical proximity, popularising the term “tormuj” (watermelon) for state Congress leaders who appeared green outside but red inside — publicly opposed to the Left but privately aligned with it.
Veteran observers recall courtesy meetings between adversaries interpreted as secret deals. One example is the “fish fry meeting” between CM Mamata Banerjee and Left leaders after the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, which became shorthand for alleged tactical warmth.
The TMC’s abstention during the 2022 vice presidential election, which saw Jagdeep Dhankhar emerge victorious, was seized upon by opponents as proof of tactical ambiguity, though the party said it was protesting opposition consultation processes.
Legal and investigative developments often feed the collusion narrative. The pace of central agency probes, such as chit-fund cases, is cited by rival camps, while ongoing proceedings in the ED-I-PAC raids case keep the debate alive.
In Bengal, “setting” has moved from corridor gossip to campaign currency, denied publicly yet eagerly consumed by voters.