BJP's Bengal Election Strategy To Be Taught As Case Study In IIM Calcutta

IIM Calcutta is set to introduce the BJP's election strategy in West Bengal as a case study for management students.

The academic institution is currently doing a strategic analysis of the BJP's election management in West Bengal. This managerial case will be taught to the students, the director of IIM Calcutta, Alok Rai, told NDTV.  

The case will be made available to management institutes across the world through the Case Research Centre of IIM Calcutta so that any institution that wants to teach the case can do so.

Director Rai, Strategy Group Professor Ramya Venkateswaran and former Operation Group Professor Bodhibrata Nag are jointly developing this case.

Rai said that it was the creation of a unique system that made a concerted effort to win this seemingly impossible election, and what principles of strategic management were used are being studied in detail.  

In this context, a long conversation has been held with West Bengal election in-charge of BJP Sunil Bansal, president Samik Bhattacharya, and former president Dr Sukant Majumdar. He said that the party is also trying to talk to Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.

"A major event took place in West Bengal two months ago when the BJP government was formed there for the first time. This is highly significant because, according to most surveys, the Trinamool was expected to come to power; however, the BJP secured a major victory," said Rai.

"We considered that the plan devised for this victory might be an interesting subject to read about. We proceeded with the work after obtaining permission from the BJP. The success achieved through the synergy of planning and leadership could serve as a case study for our students," he added.

According to Ra, their findings said the following objectives were the cause that led to the magnificent victory of the BJP.

Documenting And Analysing Efforts To Build Grassroots Organisational Capability 

Examining the role of booth-level organisational structures, cadre morale, local cultural institutions, religious and social public relations, constituency-based division (constituency segmentation), candidate selection and communication structure (communication architecture) in building electoral competitiveness.

Resource-Based View 

Using the RBV VRIO framework in a non-firm organisational context to identify which resources and capabilities are valuable, rare, inimitable and organisationally embedded.

Teaching notes are also being prepared along with cases to facilitate teachers in teaching.

Through this case, it is also intended to encourage discussion in the class on the question of whether BJP's success in the West Bengal elections in 2026 was a sustainable competitive advantage, a resource advantage or a result of context-specific campaign execution.

Trinamool Congress MLA Kunal Ghosh has, however, lashed out at the decision, saying, 'For management students there are a lot of other subjects of social science to study. Such a political victory cannot be among them."