Mantra of power: How slogans set the tone in Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam elections. india news
“Good days are coming…”“This time Modi’s government…”“Khela hobe…”Such slogans often have great influence in elections. Speeches and manifestos can provide details, but it’s the 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 coming up with their own impactful slogans to set the tone and shape the campaign narrative.
west bengalrivalry between chief ministers Mamata Banerjee and prime minister Narendra ModiThe controversy over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists and several other factors made the Bengal Assembly election one of the most tightly contested in recent memory.As the war of rhetoric intensifies before the elections, TMC And BJPThe slogans became louder.‘Bhoye outside, trust inside, BJP’s vote day’In Bengal, PM Modi saw the assembly elections as a “fight for change”.Bhoy“(with fear”Reliance(faith). “No matter how much TMC goons scare you on the day of voting, you should have faith in the law. Fear will be driven out of Bengal in this election. BJP’s landslide victory will instill confidence…” the Prime Minister had said at an election rally.It was adapted into Bengali as “”Fear outside, trust inside, BJP’s vote day“The party’s message was accompanied by a series of election promises aimed at strengthening the ‘trust’ issue.
Along with this, BJP also reorganized the tone and terminology of its slogans. It included the religious and cultural identity of Bengal-“Hail goddess kali” And “Praise to mother Durga“- in addition”Jai Shri Ram“Chant.‘Jotoi Koro Hamla, Abar Jeetbe Bangla’To counter the BJP’s narrative, TMC resorted to identification and intensified the “insider versus outsider” narrative. “Reminiscent of 2021.”may have played“TMC brought it”Jotoi Koro attack, now as much Bangla“(Attack as much as you want, Bengal will win again) as our war cry for the assembly elections.The slogan – which was turned into a three-minute campaign song – references attacks on religion and the Bengali language, and repeatedly emphasizes that the political fight is also about “saving the plurality of Bengal”, both in religion and personal choice.
Lines like “Baire theke borgi aish, neom kore proti mashealso invoked the word borgiA historically loaded word in Bengal.Borgi refers to the 18th-century Marathi horse raiders who made repeated incursions into Bengal between 1741 and 1751.Over time, Borgi entered Bengali cultural memory through folklore and lullabies, notably “Chhele Ghumlo, Pada Jurlo, Borgi Allo Deshe,” symbolizes external danger coming unannounced.Tamil Nadu‘Stalin Thodaretam, Tamil Nadu Vellattam’Advocating a second term for Chief Minister Stalin, DMK started its Tamil Nadu Assembly campaign with this song.Stalin Thodaretam, Tamil Nadu Vellattam(Let Stalin continue, let Tamil Nadu win).The party’s official campaign song placed Stalin front and center, and presented the election as a battle to defend the state. It highlighted concerns about the “hawks coming from the North”, the controversial New Education Policy (NEP), and SIR.
Building on the same theme, the lyrics warn of “eagles” coming in disguise and being driven away – clearly a dig at the BJP and the Centre. Seeking a second consecutive term, the DMK also relied on its welfare record to counter the BJP-AIADMK alliance.‘Inga Poti Rendu Perukku Naduvila Than… Onnu DMK, Inonnu TVK’Actor Vijay Thalapathy’s TVK positioned itself as a visible alternative in a state long dominated by the DMK and AIADMK, using the line “Inga Poti Rendu Perukku Naduvila Than… Onnu DMK, Inonnu TVK(Here the contest is between two – DMK and TVK).The campaign relied heavily on Vijay’s widespread appeal, with thousands of people turning up to rallies to hear him speak or catch a glimpse of him. Slogans like “whistle podu” And “Visil Parakkum” (Whistle Blow; Will Whistle) added a high-energy, youth-inspired edge, turning crowd participation into a visible display of momentum.‘Makkalai Kappom, Thamizhagathai Meetpom’Positioning itself as a challenger, the AIADMK-BJP alliance built its Tamil Nadu Assembly campaign around the slogan.Makkalai Kappom, Thamizhagathai Meatpom(Let us protect the people, let us reclaim Tamil Nadu).
Terming the election a “course correction”, the alliance argued that the state needed to be “saved” from the incumbent DMK government.The slogan tried to address concerns over governance and law and order by presenting the alliance as a protector of public interest.Kerala‘Mattarund LDF Allahthe?’Positioning itself as the default choice, the LDF built its Kerala campaign around the slogan “”.Matarand LDF Allahthe?(Who else but LDF?).The message was based on continuity and credibility, with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at the centre. Keeping Kerala as its last major stronghold, the Front presented its governance record – from welfare delivery and housing to claims on infrastructure and eradicating extreme poverty.
The campaign also sought to counter anti-incumbency by comparing its tenure in power to the “dark period” of the UDF.‘Keralaam Jayikkum, UDF Naikkum’The Congress-led UDF, on the other hand, centered its campaign around “Keralam Jayikkum, UDF Naikkum(Kerala will win, UDF will lead).The slogan established the alliance as a force capable of taking the state forward, with opposition leader VD Satheesan leading the offensive. Setting an ambitious target, the UDF aims to make a decisive comeback in the 140-member assembly.‘Marathathu ini marum, Keralam valarum’In an attempt to make a dent in Kerala’s bipolar politics, the BJP-led NDA adopted the slogan “Marathathu Ini Marum, Keralam Valarum(This time there will be change, Kerala will move forward).The campaign framed the election as an opportunity for disruption, positioning the alliance as an option beyond the LDF-UDF split. Focusing on select constituencies, the NDA aims to translate its growing presence into a solid electoral success.Assam‘BJP government again and again’Establishing itself on continuity and control, the BJP-led NDA launched its Assam campaign with “BJP government again and again(repeatedly BJP government) and the theme of the manifestoSecure Assam, Developed Assam(Protected Assam, Developed Assam).
The message overshadowed Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s dual pitch of demography and development, presenting the election as a high-stakes battle over identity and governance.‘Ghore Ghore Aami’Among regional players, the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) built its campaign around “gore gore aami(We are in every house).The slogan seeks to emphasize grassroots presence and local engagement, drawing from earlier identity-driven stories such as “caste, soil, gift” (community, land, culture). Other regional forces, including the AGP, echoed the sentiments underlying the Assam movement, reinforcing themes of identity and regional pride.