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“Ache din aane wale hain…”“Abki baar Modi Sarkar…”“Khela Hobe…”Slogans like these often end up doing a lot of the heavy lifting in elections. Speeches and manifestoes may lay out the details, but it’s these short, catchy lines that bring energy to campaigns and stay with people long after the rallies are over.Like every election in India, the assembly elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry followed the same script, with parties rolling out their own punchy slogans to set the tone and shape the campaign narrative.
West BengalThe rivalry between chief minister Mamata Banerjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, controversy over the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, and several other factors made the Bengal assembly elections one of the most fiercely fought contests in recent memory.In the run-up to the elections, as the war of narratives intensified between TMC and BJP, the slogans got sharper.‘Bhoy out, Bharosa in, BJP ke vote din’In Bengal, PM Modi positioned the assembly polls as a battle to replace “bhoy” (fear) with “bharosa” (trust). “No matter how much TMC goons intimidate you on polling day, you must have trust in the law. In this election, fear will be driven out of Bengal. Confidence will awaken through BJP’s grand victory…” the Prime Minister had said at an election rally.Tweaked into Bengali as “Bhoy out, Bharosa in, BJP ke vote din,” the party’s messaging was accompanied by a series of electoral promises aimed at reinforcing the ‘bharosa’ plank.
Alongside this, BJP also recalibrated its tone and vocabulary of slogans. It included Bengal’s religious and cultural identity—“Joy Maa Kali” and “Joy Maa Durga”—along with its “Jai Shri Ram” chant.‘Jotoi koro hamla, abar jitbe Bangla’To counter BJP’s narrative, TMC leaned on identity and sharpened the “insider versus outsider” narrative. Reminiscent of 2021’s “Khela Hobe,” TMC came up with “Jotoi koro hamla, abar jitbe Bangla” (Attack as much as you want, Bengal will win again) as its war cry for the assembly polls.The slogan—which was transformed into a three-minute campaign song—references attacks on religion and the Bengali language, and repeatedly stresses that the political battle is also about “saving Bengal’s plurality,” both in religion and personal choices.
Lines such as “baire theke borgi ashe, niyom kore proti maashe” also invoked the word borgi, a historically loaded term in Bengal.Borgi refers to the 18th-century Marathi cavalry raiders who carried out repeated incursions into Bengal between 1741 and 1751Over time, borgi entered Bengali cultural memory through folklore and lullabies, most notably “chhele ghumalo, paada juraalo, borgi elo deshe,” symbolising an external threat arriving unannounced.Tamil Nadu‘Stalin Thodaratum, Tamil Nadu Vellattum’Pitching for a second term for chief minister Stalin, DMK kicked off its Tamil Nadu assembly campaign with the song “Stalin Thodaratum, Tamil Nadu Vellattum” (Let Stalin continue, let Tamil Nadu win).The party’s official campaign song put Stalin front and centre, framing the election as a fight to protect the state. It flagged concerns around a “hawk from the North,” the contentious New Education Policy (NEP), and SIR.
Built around the same theme, the lyrics warn of “eagles” arriving in disguise but being driven away—an apparent swipe at BJP and the Centre. Seeking a second straight term, DMK also leaned on its welfare record to counter BJP-AIADMK alliance.‘Inga poti rendu perukku naduvila thaan… onnu DMK, innonnu TVK’Actor Vijay Thalapathy’s TVK positioned itself as a direct alternative in a state long dominated by DMK and AIADMK, using the line “Inga poti rendu perukku naduvila thaan… onnu DMK, innonnu TVK” (The contest here is between two—DMK and TVK).The campaign leaned heavily on Vijay’s mass appeal, with thousands flocking to rallies to hear him speak or catch a glimpse of him. Slogans like “Whistle Podu” and “Visil Parakkum” (blow the whistle; the whistle will soar) added a high-energy, youth-driven edge, turning crowd participation into a visible show of momentum.‘Makkalai Kappom, Thamizhagathai Meetpom’Positioning itself as the challenger, AIADMK–BJP alliance built its Tamil Nadu assembly campaign around the slogan “Makkalai Kappom, Thamizhagathai Meetpom” (Let us protect the people, let us reclaim Tamil Nadu).
The election was dubbed a “course correction,” with the alliance arguing that the state needed to be “rescued” from the incumbent DMK government.The slogan sought to tap into concerns around governance and law and order, while projecting the alliance as a protector of public interest.Kerala‘Mattarund LDF allathe?’Positioning itself as the default choice,LDF built its Kerala campaign around the slogan “Mattarund LDF allathe?” (Who else but LDF?).The messaging leaned on continuity and credibility, with chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan at the centre. With Kerala as its last major stronghold, the front pitched its governance record—from welfare delivery and housing to infrastructure and claims of eliminating extreme poverty.
The campaign also sought to counter anti-incumbency by contrasting its tenure with what it called UDF’s “dark period” in power.‘Keralam jayikkum, UDF nayikkum’On the other hand, Congress-led UDF anchored its campaign around “Keralam jayikkum, UDF nayikkum” (Kerala would win, UDF would lead).The slogan positioned the alliance as the force capable of steering the state forward, with opposition leader V D Satheeshan leading an aggressive push. Setting an ambitious target, UDF aims for a decisive comeback in the 140-member assembly.‘Maarathathu ini marum, Keralam valarum’Seeking to break into Kerala’s bipolar politics, BJP-led NDA adopted the slogan “Maarathathu ini marum, Keralam valarum” (This time change would come, Kerala would progress).The campaign framed the election as an opportunity for disruption, positioning the alliance as an alternative beyond the LDF–UDF divide. Focusing on select constituencies, NDA aims to convert its growing presence into a tangible electoral breakthrough.Assam‘Bar Bar BJP Sarkar”Positioning itself on continuity and control, BJP-led NDA anchored its Assam campaign around “Bar Bar BJP Sarkar” (BJP government again and again) and the manifesto theme “Surakshita Asom, Viksita Asom” (Protected Assam, Developed Assam).
The messaging leaned heavily on chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s twin pitch of demography and development, framing the election as a high-stakes battle over identity and governance.
Poll
Which slogan do you think captures the essence of the West Bengal elections best?
‘Ghore Ghore Aami’Among regional players, Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) built its campaign around “Ghore ghore aami” (We are in every home).The slogan sought to emphasise grassroots presence and local connect, drawing from earlier identity-driven narratives like “Jati, Mati, Bheti” (community, land, culture). Other regional forces, including AGP, echoed sentiments rooted in the Assam movement, reinforcing themes of identity and regional pride.
