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The party is now gearing up for its next major challenge—West Bengal
Work began four to five months prior to polling, with Shah holding multiple rounds of discussions not just with BJP leaders but also with alliance partners to build trust and cohesion. (File image: @AmitShah/X/PTI)
For every major election, the BJP ultimately counts on one towering figure to take it across the finish line—Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose popularity and charisma have remained unshaken for over 11 years. Complementing this is the unmatched organisational brilliance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, which played a decisive role in the BJP’s sweeping victory in Bihar.
The BJP’s numbers in the 2025 elections far surpass its previous performances, reflecting a strike rate of over 90%—a remarkable feat by any measure.
This election was anything but easy. Nitish Kumar was seeking yet another term after nearly two decades in office, with anti-incumbency looming large. Amit Shah assumed the responsibility of steering the alliance through this challenging contest.
Work began four to five months prior to polling, with Shah holding multiple rounds of discussions not just with BJP leaders but also with alliance partners to build trust and cohesion. His methodical organisational approach helped shape a strong and united NDA—bringing together the JD(U), Chirag Paswan’s LJP (RV), Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Morcha, and Jitan Ram Manjhi’s HAM. Well ahead of the polls, the alliance had finalised caste equations seat by seat.
In the run-up to the elections, Shah conducted at least five organisational meetings at the district level and another five cluster-level meetings. During the campaign, he addressed 35 rallies and held one roadshow. Each visit to Bihar included strategy sessions with the core group, ensuring constant alignment and clarity.
Shah placed immense emphasis on robust booth-level engagement, repeatedly stressing that direct connect with booth workers was the key to maximising votes. His political instinct and experience also helped the alliance overcome early friction between the Janata Dal (United) and Chirag Paswan’s party.
Even though he no longer holds the BJP national president’s post, the party continues to rely on Amit Shah’s guidance for crucial electoral battles. The “Chanakya of Indian politics” has previously steered major turnarounds—be it Maharashtra, Haryana, or Delhi.
But his mission is far from complete. With Prime Minister Modi declaring an aggressive push in states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu—regions where the BJP seeks deeper inroads—the party is gearing up for its next major challenge: West Bengal. Under Shah’s leadership as party president, the BJP had won an unprecedented 18 of 42 Lok Sabha seats here in 2019 and multiplied its assembly tally fivefold in 2021. With PM Modi vowing to end Bengal’s “Jungle Raj”, the next battle promises to be even more intense.
For Amit Shah, the strategist-in-chief, the work has only just begun.
November 15, 2025, 07:00 IST
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