New Delhi: With assembly elections in West Bengal just three months away, Prime Minister Narendra Modi seems to have played a masterstroke, as by declassifying 100 files related to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on the occasion of his 119th birth anniversary, he has scored emotional points and at the same time given BJP a headstart in the run-up to the polls.
Though BJP is a non-entity in West Bengal, it had aggressively campaigned in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
While it managed to garner just two seats there, the party has been harbouring hopes of replacing the Left and with Mr Modi releasing the much awaited classified related to Subhas Chandra Bose, he has stirred the sentiments of not only the countrymen but also of the people of West Bengal.
Declassification of Bose's files has been a sentimental issue and when in October last year, Mr Modi had met the family members of Netaji and promised them that the Government would start declassifying all the secret files related to him in a phased manner, he had already announced the BJP's election campaign for West Bengal assembly elections which are due in April this year.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also took the cue and the state government soon after Mr Modi's announcement, had released 64 files related to Subhas Chandra Bose late last year.
However, Mr Modi, who has an impeccable sense of occasion, seems to have stolen a march on Ms Banerjee at least as far as scoring on the emotional index is concerned.
Ms Banerjee's first reaction after the declassification of the files on Netaji, was on seeking a title of "Leader of the Nation" for him. She also sought to know the truth about his mysterious disappearance.
This itself shows that atleast on this aspect, the BJP seems to have stumped her, though the electoral battle itself would be a tough ask for the saffron party and Mr Modi.
