Aafreen Hussain From Kolkata
The Lionel Messi event in Kolkata has rapidly evolved from a sports celebration into a political scandal with unmistakable electoral overtones. What was marketed as a landmark moment for Bengal’s football culture has instead triggered allegations of elite capture, administrative failure, and questionable financial priorities providing the opposition with a powerful weapon ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections.
According to figures circulating in political and administrative circles, the overall expenditure linked to the event including appearance fees, logistics, security, hospitality, branding, and promotions ran into several tens of crores of rupees. While the state government has maintained that public funds were either limited or not directly involved, no detailed public audit or transparent breakdown has yet been placed in the public domain. This absence of clarity has become the opposition’s primary line of attack.
The event was overseen under the broader supervision of the state sports department, headed by Sports Minister Aroop Biswas, with organisational responsibilities liability handled by private event managers operating in coordination with government agencies. Critics argue that this public private arrangement allowed accountability to fall into a grey zone where neither side fully owned responsibility for the chaos that unfolded.
Thousands of football fans, many of whom reportedly paid premium ticket prices running into several thousand rupees, were left outraged when access to the main event was restricted, viewing time was drastically curtailed, and large sections of the stadium were effectively rendered symbolic. Visuals of ministers, ruling party leaders, their family members, and select celebrities enjoying close access to Messi while ordinary ticket-holders were kept at a distance went viral within hours.
The political optics were devastating.
The BJP, led in the state by Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, has openly described the episode as a case study in “VIP culture” and “spectacle-driven governance.” Party leaders have repeatedly alleged that the event was less about football promotion and more about consolidating influence, visibility, and resources ahead of elections. Though such claims stop short of legal proof, they have struck a chord with a public already fatigued by recurring controversies around governance and finance.
The timing has only intensified suspicion. With the 2026 Assembly elections barely months away, the state administration is under pressure from fiscal stress, delayed payments to government-linked workers, and ongoing scrutiny by central agencies in other cases. Against this backdrop, a high-cost international event has become an easy symbol for opposition rhetoric: money for spectacle, but not for essentials.
The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), for its part, has accused the BJP of politicising a cultural event and tarnishing Bengal’s global image. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has consistently projected international engagement as part of her vision to place Bengal on the global map. However, critics argue that global branding loses credibility when local stakeholders especially the public feel excluded and disrespected.
The irony is hard to miss. “Khela hobe,” once the TMC’s battle cry signalling political confidence, is now being repurposed by the opposition as a metaphor for alleged backroom dealings and unequal access. BJP leaders have begun framing the controversy as proof that the real “game” in Bengal is no longer ideological, but transactional.
In Bengal’s emotionally charged political landscape, football is not a neutral subject. Clubs like Mohun Bagan and East Bengal are woven into the state’s cultural identity. Any event involving a global football icon automatically carries emotional weight and when that emotion turns into humiliation or anger, the political consequences can be severe.
Whether the Messi episode results in formal investigations or not may ultimately matter less than its narrative afterlife. In elections, perception often outpaces proof. The opposition appears determined to ensure that this controversy is not forgotten, but repeatedly revived on social media, on the streets, and on the campaign trail.
As 2026 approaches, the Messi event may come to be remembered not as a celebration of football, but as a turning point when spectacle collided with public sentiment, and a sporting event became an enduring political liability for those in power.