In a high-octane campaign rally at Pandaveswar in Paschim Bardhaman, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took her political rhetoric to a new level by comparing the upcoming 2026 Assembly elections to the legendary Battle of Kurukshetra. Addressing a massive crowd on Thursday, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo equated her party to the ‘righteous Pandavas’ and the BJP to the ‘evil Kauravas,’ setting the stage for a mythic showdown in Bengal.

“Pandaveswar is a land associated with the Pandavas. We represent the five Pandavas who fight for the welfare of the common people. On the other side, we have the BJP—the modern-day Kauravas—who have descended from Delhi to spread the kingdom of ‘Adharma’ (unrighteousness),” Mamata thundered from the stage. She alleged that just as the Kauravas were blinded by power, the BJP is blinded by arrogance and is attempting to snatch away the rights of the poor and the marginalized.

The Chief Minister’s Mahabharata analogy is seen as a strategic move to counter the BJP’s religious narrative with a cultural one. By positioning herself as the defender of ‘Dharma’ (truth), she aimed to strike an emotional chord with the rural electorate. The BJP was quick to respond, calling Mamata’s remarks a sign of desperation as the ground shifts in Bengal. As the 2026 polls approach, Mamata’s ‘Kurukshetra’ rhetoric has ensured that this electoral battle will be remembered as much for its epic metaphors as for its political stakes.