In a stunning political upset, the Bharatiya Janata Party swept the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, ending the 15-year rule of the All India Trinamool Congress led by Mamata Banerjee.
But as results poured in, social media found an unlikely “reason” behind the shift — Lionel Messi. Within minutes of the BJP’s landslide becoming clear, platforms were flooded with memes linking the victory to Messi’s chaotic Kolkata visit in 2025. What followed was a wave of tongue-in-cheek posts that turned a major political moment into a sporting joke.
“Messi came to Kolkata in 2011 and changed the government. He came again in 2025 and did it again — GOAT has unreal powers,” one user wrote, echoing a viral theme.
Others jokingly dubbed the football icon a “BJP agent,” with posts like “Messi kicked off Didi’s downfall” and even “Messi did more than Modi in Bengal” gaining traction online.
The humour draws from a real flashpoint — Messi’s ill-fated appearance at Vivekananda Yuvabharati Krirangan.
Messi’s Kolkata visit that went wrong
What was billed as a once-in-a-lifetime event quickly descended into chaos. Fans who had paid premium prices were left disappointed as Messi spent less than 10 minutes on the field. Surrounded by officials and heavy security, he couldn’t complete a planned lap of the stadium.
Frustration soon spilled over. Sections of the crowd turned unruly, with reports of vandalism and objects being thrown as security struggled to contain the situation. Visuals of the disorder quickly went viral, turning the event into a public relations setback.
The fallout was immediate. Mamata Banerjee apologised and ordered an inquiry, while police detained the event’s organiser. The Bharatiya Janata Party seized on the controversy, accusing the state government of mismanagement and “international embarrassment.”
In the months that followed, the incident even featured in BJP’s campaign messaging, used as a symbol of governance failure in a state known for its deep football culture.
From stadium chaos to meme lore
As the BJP surged across regions—from North Bengal to urban centres like Kolkata and Howrah—social media users cheekily connected the dots.
Of course, the election outcome was shaped by multiple political factors, including anti-incumbency and ground-level organisation. But online, a simpler narrative took hold.
Somewhere between a chaotic stadium appearance and a sweeping electoral verdict, Messi — at least in meme culture — had “done it again.”
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