BJP faces a tough challenge in the second phase of West Bengal Assembly polls, where most constituencies have historically supported the Trinamool Congress. While BJP performed strongly in phase one, it struggled in these regions in 2021.

Krishna Shastri aka Bageshwar Baba, triggered a major controversy after claiming that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj once surrendered his crown to Samarth Ramdas Swami. His additional comments on Hindu families having four children also added to the backlash