New Delhi: Ever since Prime Minister Narendra Modi relished ‘jhalmuri’ during his poll campaign for the 2026 West Bengal assembly elections, the popular Indian snack has earned a place for itself in the Indian politics. It has become a topic of discussion, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) using different ways to include ‘jhalmuri’ in their digs at each other.
Wednesday was another such day, as Union Home Minister Amit Shah used the iconic snack to take a dig at the TMC, without naming the party. Sharing several photos of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) conclave in New Delhi on micro-blogging site X (previously Twitter), the BJP leader said he “relished” the popular snack during Wednesday’s high-profile gathering.
“Relished Tangy, Masaledar and Crunchy Jhalmuri at the NDA meeting,” the union home minister said.
Apart from Shah, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also shared a video on Instagram in which West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari could be seen serving ‘jhalmuri’ to him at a makeshift stall during the 12th anniversary conclave of the NDA. Other than PM Modi, Union Ministers HD Kumaraswamy, Chirag Paswan, Anupriya Patel and Ramdas Athawale could also be seen relishing ‘jhalmuri’ during the event.
“Sharing Jhalmuri with fellow NDA leaders at the NDA meeting today,” PM Modi said in the caption, while sharing the video.
The rise of ‘jhalmuri’ in Indian politics
It all started in April when PM Modi visited Jhargram for a rally. During his visit, he met locals and visited a stall to relish some ‘jhalmuri’. He also shared a video of him interacting with the vendor, while savouring the snack.
His ‘jhalmuri’ caused a row, with the TMC calling it a ‘photo-op’ opportunity. TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee also took a dig at the prime minister, saying it was just a drama, but Modi said the Trinamool was creating an unnecessary issue as it was losing the elections.
Notably, the TMC lost the power in West Bengal after ruling the state for 15 straight years, while the BJP formed the government for the first time in state. Since its historic victory, the BJP has been ‘jhalmuri’ digs at its rivals, which highlights how the popular snack’s importance has grown in Indian politics.
