New Delhi: The first phase of the West Bengal Assembly election is going to take place on April 23, 2026. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on the last Sunday before the polls in the state, embarked on an intense campaign. He first went to Bankura, a district of red soil located in the western part of the state.
During his campaign speech there, PM Modi launched a scathing attack at the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Also, during his campaign on Sunday, PM Modi warned ‘TMC goons and syndicates’ that they have a “last chance to surrender before April 29,” the second phase of Assembly polls in the state.
PM Modi spoke on women’s reservation bill
PM Modi, at the beginning of his speech, spoke on the bill to reserve seats for women in the Parliament and its defeat. He said that the “women of Bengal wanted 33 per cent reservation and they wanted it to be implemented from 2029,” and he made full effort to fulfill their wish.
But he blamed the TMC for not wanting “more of Bengal’s daughters to become MLAs and MPs because the daughters in the state were challenging their “Maha Jungle Raj.” He claimed that the TMC, along with the Congress, “conspired” and prevented the law from being passed in the Parliament. Notably, the Women’s Reservation Bill need to secure the mandatory two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha for its passage.
He hailed the BJP and said that the identity of the saffron party lies in “women’s empowerment and women’s safety.” PM Modi added, “That is why, in every state of the country, sisters and daughters give the BJP the most blessings. We want to expand the role of daughters in building a Viksit Bharat and encourage more and more daughters to enter politics, too. You have seen what happened in the Parliament. TMC has betrayed the sisters of Bengal yet again.”
PM Modi blamed TMC over infiltration
PM Modi reiterated the BJP pitch of infiltration in the state and blamed the TMC for “breaking every law and rule” to “benefit” those who trespass to Bengal. He added that Mamata Banerjee-led party “is busy giving reservations on the basis of religion, destroying the spirit of community. Should TMC be punished or not?” Further upping the ante, the PM, who has addressed several rallies in the state in the last one month, said that the TMC is not ready to listen to the Kudmi Samaj. He claimed that the party “listens to the infiltrators and not the Kudmi Samaj. TMC wants to give reservations to its vote bank against the Consitution. I will tell every sister and daughter of Bengal that TMC must be punished.”
PM Modi claimed that the TMC “hates tribal sisters and daughters”, and stated that the BJP “gave India its first tribal woman President” because the party “wants to empower the tribal community.” He called the ruling party in Bengal “anti-tribal” and alleged that it had insults the President of India. Also he assured that “the safety of sisters, the respect of mothers, sisters, and your prosperity, are the priorities of the BJP.”
‘BJP to form government with huge majority’
PM Modi also addressed a rally in Purulia where he said that the paddy farmers in the state are deeply distressed and the state government has stalled irrigation projects. He said, “The tears in the farmers’ eyes never dry. This ruthless government is only engaged in looting and protects the looters. I assure you today that the BJP government will stop this TMC loot and bring water to your fields.”
He added, “The people of Bengal have also resolved: fear out, trust in. I usually never make predictions during elections. I never talk about the outcome. I’ve been contesting elections for years, but I avoid those discussions. I am saying that this time the BJP is going to form the government with a huge majority. When I say a huge majority, I am saying it with full confidence.”
PM Modi addressed teacher recruitment scam
PM Modi also spoke on the teacher recruitment scam in the state which led to the loss of jobs of 26,000 teachers of the government school. He slammed the TMC ministers for perpetrating the scam and “deceiving thousands of youths.” He said that one would have to get work done in the TMC regime by giving a cut. Hence, he added “the industry is suffering” in the state as “factories don’t come out of fear.”
