Nadia (West Bengal): Prime Minister Narendra Modi has claimed that the outcome of the recent Bihar elections has created momentum for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in neighbouring West Bengal, as he formally launched the party’s election campaign in the state.
Addressing a rally in the Nadia district virtually on Saturday, Modi said the Bihar results were a “clear signal” that the BJP’s path to victory in West Bengal had been opened. The prime minister was unable to attend the event in person after dense fog and poor visibility prevented his helicopter from landing, forcing him to return to Kolkata airport. “I apologise for not being able to reach you due to adverse weather conditions,” Modi said at the beginning of his address, speaking to supporters gathered at the Taherpur rally site via video link.
In his speech, Modi placed strong emphasis on development and infrastructure, saying the central government’s priority was to improve connectivity in remote and underdeveloped regions of West Bengal. He also invoked the state’s cultural legacy, referring to Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay and describing Bengal as the land of Vande Mataram.
The prime minister used the occasion to mount a sharp attack on West Bengal’s chief minister, Mamata Banerjee, accusing her Trinamool Congress (TMC) government of hindering development in the state. While asserting that political opposition to him or the BJP was legitimate, Modi questioned why, in his view, the state government was blocking progress.
He further alleged that illegal immigration in West Bengal was being protected by the ruling party, a claim frequently made by the BJP but rejected by the TMC.
Referring to law and order, Modi said that what he described as “jungle raj” would also be brought to an end in West Bengal, echoing a phrase often used by the BJP to criticise opposition-ruled states. “Bihar has shown the way,” he said, suggesting that electoral change in one state could be replicated in another.
The Prime Minister also accused the TMC government of corruption, calling it a “cut-money government”, and urged supporters to remove it from power. Ahead of the rally, Modi virtually inaugurated and laid foundation stones for two national highway projects worth approximately Rs. 3,200 crore, according to official statements.
Saturday’s event marked Modi’s first visit to West Bengal since the release of the draft electoral roll revision in the state. Security officials said the decision not to land the helicopter was taken in line with safety protocols due to weather conditions near the Bangladesh border.
