Kolkata: The first two candidate lists of the Bengal BJP point to a strong push towards a generational shift, with the party choosing less than one-fourth of its candidates from the age bracket between 55 and 70 years. With one-fourth of its candidates from the age group below 40 years, the party clearly signalled the generational churn that started with the appointment of the national president, Nitin Nabin.Of the 255 candidates announced by the party for the 2026 assembly polls in West Bengal, 65 are aged below 40 years. This, party insiders said, is in tune with the nationwide strategy of Nitin Nabin — the 45-year-old president of the party — to appoint yuva morcha leaders preferably below 35 years and youth wing heads below 32 years.The BJP was working on the generational shift for more than a decade after the party assumed office at the Centre with a full majority. “We have started to prioritise younger leadership within the youth wing. This reflects the party’s strategy to align the leadership with the country’s young demography,” said a Bengal BJP functionary. Under Nabin’s leadership, the BJP has focused more on bringing younger cadres to the fore and promoting leadership that can connect with millennials and GenZ voters.Of the 255 candidates, a total of 130 are in the age bracket between 41 and 55 years. This means that more than 76% of the party’s candidates are below 55 years. A total of 60 candidates are above 56 years, including six aged above 70 years.The mix of professionals on the list of 255 candidates is also noteworthy, as that spreads across the cross-sections of society. While there are 43 teachers in the first two candidate lists, eight doctors and six advocates are also among the 255 candidates. Apart from five spiritual leaders, the party nominated six retired military personnel, two players, and three journalists.
