Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday sharpened the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) attack on the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), saying that the “feat” his party achieved in Nandigram in 2021 assembly elections, will be repeated in Bhabanipur and entire West Bengal, as he addressed back-to-back rallies across the poll-bound state.
In 2021, chief minister Mamata Banerjee was defeated by her former aide and now a BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari.
Speaking first at Haldia in East Midnapore, PM Modi said the political shift that began in Nandigram would now extend across the state. “Nandigram had shown the path for change five years ago. Now entire Bengal is walking in that direction. The same will be repeated in Bhabanipur,” he said, referring to the BJP fielding Adhikari against Banerjee in her stronghold.
Modi promises accountablity and action against corruption
The PM further cornered TMC government over governance and corruption, while announcing a set of assurances if the BJP comes to power. These included restoring “trust and removing fear,” ensuring accountability in administration, reopening files on alleged scams and crimes against women, acting against corruption irrespective of rank, granting rights to refugees while tackling infiltration, and implementing the 7th pay commission for state government employees.
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A key theme across Modi’s speeches, from Haldia to Asansol and Birbhum, was fisheries and food politics. Accusing the TMC of failing to make Bengal self-reliant in fish production despite high demand, Modi said, “Even fish has to be procured from other states. This reflects the corruption and inefficiency of the government.” He credited central schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana for boosting production nationally and in BJP-ruled states, alleging that the TMC did not implement it effectively due to political considerations.
In Asansol, the PM said Bengal was “yearning for a double-engine government” and predicted a “new era of development” after the election results. He also took aim at the TMC’s foundational slogan from 2011, “Ma, Mati, Manush”, claiming that “today, the mother is crying, the soil is being grabbed, and people are living in fear.”
The attack turned sharper in Birbhum, where Modi made an example of the Bogtui violence to describe TMC rule as “jungle raj”. “Innocent women and children were burnt alive. Shouldn’t this come to an end?” he asked.
Meanwhile, CM Banerjee, addressing a rally in North 24 Parganas, hit back at the BJP, asserting that the TMC would retain power despite alleged large-scale deletions from electoral rolls. She also countered the BJP’s claims on fisheries, highlighting her government’s efforts to boost fish production, including initiatives around Hilsa conservation and reducing dependence on imports.
“First round of counting may indicate that the BJP is leading in some areas. However, the later rounds will turn results overwhelmingly in our favour,” Banerjee said.