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Bengal to be renamed, says BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya: ‘How many times must I say?’
The issue of changing West Bengal’s name has been debated for years. The TMC government had previously proposed changing the state’s name to "Bangla".
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West Bengal is likely to be renamed “Paschim Banga”, BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya said on Wednesday, claiming that the proposed name would preserve the state’s historical identity. Bhattacharya earlier said that, if the BJP formed the government in the state, it would introduce a bill in the first session of the Assembly to formally effect the name change.
Speaking to reporters, Bhattacharya said there should be no further ambiguity over the BJP’s position on the issue. “How many times must I say, brother? The name will be ‘Paschim Banga’,” he said, as per ANI.
On Monday, Bhattacharya said that names such as “Paschim Bangla”, “Bangla” and “Banga” would no longer be used once the proposed change was implemented. “Paschim Banga is coming,” he had said, referring to the proposed name.
Bhattacharya said the proposed change would be backed by legislation and that a bill could be introduced in the first session of the Assembly after the BJP forms the government in the state. He said the objective was to ensure that the state’s official identity remained connected to its history.
The issue of changing West Bengal’s name has been debated for years. The Trinamool Congress government had previously proposed changing the state’s name to “Bangla”, arguing that the existing name placed it lower in alphabetical listings and did not reflect the Bengali name used locally. The proposal, however, did not receive the Centre’s approval.
The proposed move would place West Bengal alongside a number of Indian states that have undergone official name changes to reflect linguistic, cultural or historical identities.
The most recent example is Kerala, whose name is being changed to “Keralam” following a state Assembly resolution and subsequent approval by the Union government and Parliament in 2026. Earlier, Orissa was officially renamed Odisha in 2011, while Uttaranchal became Uttarakhand in 2007.
‘Modi’s life dedicated to nation’: Bhattacharya
Bhattacharya also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address marking 25 years in public life, describing it as a message of dedication to the country.
He said BJP workers, supporters and others gathered across administrative districts to hear Modi’s address and claimed that the Prime Minister had spoken from the heart about his journey in public life.
“He spoke about Swami Vivekananda; he referenced Rishi Aurobindo,” Bhattacharya said, adding that the address would inspire people beyond the BJP’s organisational base.
Assam madrasa board merger gets BJP backing
Bhattacharya also defended the Assam government's decision to merge the State Madrasa Education Board with the School Service Commission, presenting it as part of a broader push towards a common education framework.
He argued that students from minority communities should have equal access to subjects such as science and mathematics and said the move was consistent with the Centre’s education policy.
“Why should minority children lag? Why shouldn't they have the opportunity to study science? Why shouldn't they learn mathematics?” he said.
Bhattacharya said the objective was to bring education under a common standard and ensure that children from Muslim families were not excluded from mainstream educational opportunities. He described universal and inclusive education as a central objective of the National Education Policy.
