Axis My India chairman and managing director Pradeep Gupta.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Pollster Pradeep Gupta has argued that the BJP‘s victory in the West Bengal Assembly election has the potential to reshape not just the State’s future but also the economic direction of the entire country, citing eastern India’s vast natural resources, ports and untapped trade potential.
The founder-chairman of Axis My India said States, such as Bihar, Odisha, Assam and West Bengal, collectively possess enormous economic and strategic importance.
“It is not just about Bengal. A victory there can change the direction and condition of the entire country,” Mr. Gupta told PTI in an interview on Wednesday (May 20, 2026) while discussing the broader implications of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) poll triumph in West Bengal, dislodging the Trinamool Congress (TMC) from power after 15 years.
According to Mr. Gupta, eastern India’s importance stems from its natural resources, maritime access and connectivity to the northeast and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Referring to West Bengal’s geographical position, he said access to the Andaman Islands effectively passes through the state, underlining its strategic significance.
He noted that Bengali and Tamil-speaking communities form a substantial part of the population in the islands because eastern India historically served as an important resource and migration base.
Mr. Gupta pointed out that regions with a strong port infrastructure and trade networks historically became centres of prosperity.
“It is often said that countries with the highest number of ports become the most prosperous because trade and business move through them. Without the movement of goods and commerce, prosperity cannot come,” he said.
Lamenting what he described as the economic decline of eastern India, Mr. Gupta questioned the developmental trajectory of Bihar and Odisha despite their mineral wealth and natural resources. He also said Assam and much of the northeast had long remained geographically and economically isolated.
“Look at the condition of Bihar. If you separate Odisha’s mines and natural resources for a moment, what remains of its economy? Assam and the northeast were virtually cut off for years,” he said.
In West Bengal, Mr. Gupta said the State once served as one of India’s foremost industrial and commercial centres, housing several major corporate headquarters during the colonial and early post-independence years.
He referred to the migration of businesses and business communities out of Kolkata over the decades, saying many firms shifted operations to cities, such as Mumbai and Bengaluru, while several business families later moved abroad.
He also cited the collapse of the Tata Motors’ Nano project in Singur as an example of how industrial opportunities were lost in West Bengal.
“Those who tried to harness Bengal’s potential, like the Nano factory project, were driven away,” he said.
Gupta further claimed that migrant voters from eastern India appeared unusually determined to travel back home to cast their votes this time, suggesting a strong undercurrent of political change.
Recalling conversations with people travelling from cities such as Mumbai, Mr. Gupta said many voters were eager to participate despite logistical difficulties and fears around electoral participation.
Published – May 22, 2026 08:13 pm IST
