Narrow Stretch, Big Stakes: BJP Bets On Bengal’s Chicken’s Neck Corridor

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has sharpened its electoral focus on the Siliguri corridor, a narrow stretch connecting mainland India to the Northeast and sharing borders with Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh. Leaders argue that the region’s security vulnerabilities make it a decisive battleground in the 2026 West Bengal assembly elections. The corridor, often referred to as the Chicken’s Neck, is India’s lifeline to its northeastern states, and its geopolitical sensitivity stems from proximity to international borders and the potential for cross-border infiltration.  

Key Highlights

• BJP stresses border security and fencing delays  
• Siliguri corridor connects India to the Northeast, making it strategically vital  
• Modi rallies brand BJP candidates as “Modi” for symbolic unity  
• TMC counters with promises of economic revival and welfare focus  
• Voters weigh national security against local livelihood concerns  

Sources: The Economic Times, Telegraph India, MSN