The Bengal BJP has brought about a major shift in its political strategy, drawing lessons from the RG Kar rape-and-murder, is now focusing on the June 25 alleged law college gang rape case to politically corner the Mamata Banerjee government in the run-up to the 2026 Assembly polls.

Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, who led a march of hundreds of BJP supporters from Golpark to Kasba on Sunday in protest of the gang rape of the student of South Calcutta Law College, announced a mega rally — Kasba Obhijan (march/expedition) — on Wednesday.

He also said he would approach the parents of the RG Kar victim on Monday to call for a march to Nabanna on August 9, marking the first death anniversary of their daughter.

He further claimed that the party would not leave the streets until Mamata was ousted from power and urged the civil society and general public to join the protests against the alleged lawlessness and atrocities against women in Bengal.

“We need to continue staying on the streets to protest against atrocities against women until Mamata Banerjee is ousted. Protesting for just one or two days or a few hours won’t be enough,” said Adhikari, adding that he would conduct all the protests across Bengal under the banner of the Kanya Suraksha Yatra (march to protect
the daughters).

A source said that during the RG Kar movement, although the BJP tried to highlight the issue, Left-backed organisations had taken the lead in the protests, leaving little room for the saffron camp to gain ground.

“In the Kasba law college gang-rape case, the party does not want the mass movement to be taken over by any other political force. That’s why not only state BJP leaders but also the national leadership has planned to send Union ministers to Bengal back-to-back to take up the issue seriously,” said a senior BJP leader.

BJP national president J.P. Nadda has formed a four-member fact-finding committee comprising senior leaders who will soon visit Bengal.

On Saturday, Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan attended a political programme and launched a scathing attack on the Mamata government over what he termed the continuing incidents of violence against women in Bengal, including the recent gang rape.

Another Union minister, Bhupender Yadav, is scheduled to reach Calcutta on Sunday night.

No CBI cry

Among the notable changes in political strategy is the BJP’s decision not to demand a CBI probe into the Kasba case.

This marks a clear departure from the RG Kar case, where the party had expressed full faith in a CBI probe.

However, the CBI ultimately endorsed the Kolkata police’s line of investigation in the RG Kar case.

It forced the BJP to save face by claiming the evidence had been tampered with by the state police.

A senior BJP leader cited two major reasons for not demanding a CBI probe this time and instead allowing the state police to handle the investigation and ensure punishment for the accused in Kasba gang rape case.

First, in the RG Kar case, the party did not move court — the victim’s parents did. However, due to the gravity of the incident, the BJP demanded a CBI probe.

Once the CBI took over, the ruling Trinamool Congress and other parties started demanding punishment from the Narendra Modi government.

“This crime occurred in Calcutta, which is under the jurisdiction of the Kolkata police. This time, we don’t want to clean up the mess of the state government. Let the Kolkata police ensure justice,” said a senior BJP leader.

Another leader added that keeping the case under Kolkata police would make it easier for the BJP to target Mamata Banerjee, who also holds the portfolio of the state’s home minister.

Secondly, the police have already arrested all the accused based on the complaint lodged by the victim. So, there’s little left for the CBI to do.

“What would the CBI do now that the three accused and the security guard are arrested? We can now demand speedy justice, when one of the accused is a TMC leader,” said a BJP source.

Focus on women

According to a senior leader, the issue of atrocities against women in Bengal will remain a core agenda for the BJP.

The party plans to compile a list of rape and murder incidents involving girls and women in the state to educate voters on how women’s safety under Mamata’s regime “is compromised”.

This focus is politically significant especially in a state with a woman chief minister. Also, since the launch of the Lakshmir Bhandar monthly dole in 2021, the TMC has largely enjoyed popularity among women voters.

The BJP now aims to break that hegemony.

Senior leaders like state president Sukanta Majumdar frequently appeal to women voters to weigh “TMC-sponsored violence” more heavily than state government doles. Party insiders believe this narrative can sway women voters if effectively communicated, especially by highlighting the Kasba law college incident.

However, many district-level leaders of the BJP feel that the party must intensify its campaign in the rural areas of the state, as village voters often remain untouched by the BJP’s urban-centric strategy.