‘Bad days for... you know who’: Himanta Biswa Sarma’s cryptic post gets sharp reply from Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari

‘Bad days for... you know who’: Himanta Biswa Sarma’s cryptic post gets sharp reply from Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari

A cryptic social media exchange between Himanta Biswa Sarma and Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday triggered intense political speculation, with many interpreting the remarks as a reference to illegal immigration and demographic changes in eastern India. The exchange began after Sarma shared photographs with Adhikari from his swearing-in ceremony in Guwahati and posted a cryptic message on X saying, “Bad days for.....(You know who).” The post quickly went viral across political circles and social media platforms. Bad days for....(You know who)@SuvenduWB pic.twitter.com/1NpMmIBwkE — Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) May 12, 2026 Adhikari responds Responding to Sarma’s message, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari wrote on X, “No Prizes for Guessing, I guess.” No Prizes for Guessing, I guess 😄@himantabiswa https://t.co/ZG87b90tkA — Suvendu Adhikari (@SuvenduWB) May 12, 2026 Neither of the two BJP leaders explicitly named any individual or group in their posts. However, both Sarma and Adhikari have consistently raised concerns over what they describe as illegal infiltration from Bangladesh and its alleged demographic impact in border states such as Assam and West Bengal. The brief but pointed exchange immediately fuelled political debate online, especially given the BJP’s long-standing campaign around border security, infiltration, land encroachment and identity politics in eastern India. Sarma begins second consecutive term in Assam The post came shortly after Himanta Biswa Sarma was sworn in for a second consecutive term as Chief Minister of Assam after the BJP-led alliance retained power in the state for a third straight term. Widely regarded as the architect of the BJP’s expansion in the Northeast, Sarma has built much of his political messaging around Assamese identity, illegal immigration, anti-encroachment drives and border security. During the Assam Assembly election campaign, Sarma had repeatedly asserted that his government would “break the backbone of infiltrators” if voted back to power. He also promised to intensify eviction operations and anti-encroachment measures across the state. Adhikari pushes border fencing in Bengal Meanwhile, Suvendu Adhikari recently took oath as the first BJP Chief Minister of West Bengal following the party’s victory in the Assembly elections. Like Sarma, Adhikari has repeatedly alleged that infiltration from Bangladesh has altered the demographic balance in several districts of Bengal, particularly in border regions, and has adversely impacted Hindu communities living there. One of the first major policy decisions announced by the new Bengal government was to expedite the transfer of land to the Border Security Force for fencing vulnerable stretches of the India-Bangladesh border. According to the Bengal government, the move is aimed at plugging security gaps along the international border and curbing infiltration, illegal crossings and smuggling activities. Political messaging ahead of a new phase The cryptic posts by the two BJP chief ministers are being viewed as part of a broader political message emerging from the BJP leadership in eastern India, where issues of migration, demographic change and border security continue to dominate political discourse. The remarks have also reignited debate over the BJP’s aggressive stance on infiltration and identity politics, particularly in Assam and Bengal, states that share long and porous borders with Bangladesh.