On November 4, the day one of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee led a massive rally protesting what she described as a form of “silent, invisible rigging” orchestrated by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Union government in collusion with the Election Commission.

The event carried all the signature elements of a Mamata Banerjee political rally – grand in scale, rich in symbolism, and meticulously managed by the party’s strategic consultancy firm, I-PAC.

At the front row marched religious leaders from diverse faiths, instantly recognisable by their traditional attire – Sikh turbans, Buddhist maroon robes, Hindu saffron garments, Christian cassocks, and Muslim clerical robes. Walking hand in hand, they embodied interfaith harmony and solidarity, a visual motif that has become a hallmark of Banerjee's politics.

A few steps behind, in the second row, walked Mamata herself, carrying the Constitution of India. She was flanked by her nephew and chosen political heir Abhishek Banerjee, and senior ministers Aroop Biswas and Firhad Hakim, both known for their fierce loyalty to the Trinamool Congress chief and both currently facing corruption charges.

The rally was quintessential Mamata Banerjee, and is by now a familiar Kolkata spectacle. The city has witnessed many such mobilisations, the most recent one less than four months ago, when she marched in protest against the alleged targeting of migrant workers from West Bengal in BJP-ruled states.

The participation of religious leaders from multiple faiths echoed her January 2024 rally held on the day of the Ram Temple consecration. That winter march had set the tone for her General Election campaign, centred on protecting the Constitution and the secular values of the nation.

Now, in November 2025, with roughly five months to go before she seeks a fourth consecutive term, Mamata Banerjee is again setting the tone of her campaign. This time, she has cast herself as the protector of electoral rights, positioning herself once again as a warrior.

Fifteen years into her rule, this framing is both strategic and revealing. By shifting the conversation from her performance in office to the supposed threat against the democracy, Banerjee reclaims her favourite political role – that of the rebel, the street fighter, and the outsider taking on the system. It is a tone she has perfected over decades, and one that continues to define her politics.

By now, the BJP should have deciphered Banerjee’s playbook. Yet, much like in 2021, when they misread the pulse of Bengal and allowed her to turn the election into a battle between the “Didi of Bengal” and the “outsiders”, only to be swept away in the “khela hobe” wave – which translated to 'game is on' – the BJP seems poised to repeat history. 

Their latest war cry about deleting 1.5 crore voter names may well hand Banerjee the very ammunition she needs. Facing mounting corruption charges, law and order concerns, and a deepening unemployment crisis, she now has a potent new narrative – one that pits her once again as the defender of Bengal’s rights against a perceived external threat.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has already branded the Election Commission of India’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise as “Bangla-birodhi” or anti-Bengal.

“If a single eligible voter is removed from the electoral rolls in Bengal, we will ensure the fall of the BJP government,” Mamata Banerjee thundered, setting the tone for a combative campaign.

The chief minister claimed that a similar SIR process had taken two years to complete in 2002 – a statement that does not align with the official records. But in Mamata’s politics, factual precision often matters less than emotional conviction. With TMC spokespersons echoing her words in press conferences and television debates, the narrative has already taken hold, and few voters are pausing to fact-check.

Then came an unexpected twist. A day after the rally, several local outlets, including the Jago Bangla, the TMC’s official mouthpiece, and the Sangbad Pratidin, edited by TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh, reported that Mamata Banerjee had personally received the voter list enumeration form from a BLO (Booth Level Officer) at her Kalighat residence.

Within twenty-four hours, Mamata hit back. On social media, she wrote:

“Various media and newspapers have published that I came out of my residence and personally received the enumeration form from the BLO. This news is completely false, misleading, and motivated propaganda.”

Following her post, multiple Bengali publications quietly deleted the online versions of their reports. In their place came new headlines, quoting Mamata’s emphatic declaration:

“Until every person in Bengal fills out the form – I myself have not filled out any form – I won't either.”

And there she was again, reclaiming the narrative, positioning herself as the saviour, the solitary defender of Bengal’s rights against the establishment. For Banerjee, perception is power, and few play that game with as much instinct and precision as she does.

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