Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged voters in West Bengal to back the BJP in the second phase of Assembly polls, accusing the ruling Trinamool Congress of misrule and pledging to “free” the state from what he described as “jungle raj”.
Addressing a Vijay Sankalp Sabha in Bangaon ahead of polling on April 29, Modi said the BJP was headed for a decisive victory, citing high voter turnout in the first phase. “In the first phase Bengal ‘ne kamaal kar diya’ (did amazing),” he said, calling on voters to repeat the performance in the next round.
He directly appealed for support, stating, “Give us your blessings, give us your vote, and we will free you from TMC.”
Targeting the TMC’s slogan “Maa, Maati, Manush”, Modi alleged that the party had failed to uphold its founding ideals. “TMC has left the Maa crying, the Maati has been handed over to syndicate and infiltrators, and Manush has been forced into exile,” he said.
Invoking Subhas Chandra Bose, the Prime Minister drew a parallel with the freedom movement. “Netaji had said, ‘Give me blood, and I will give you freedom.’ In response to Netaji’s call, the countrymen sacrificed everything they had. Today, Bengal needs just one vote from you,” he said.
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Modi also accused the TMC government of weakening the state’s industrial base and fostering corruption. Referring to the Hooghly industrial belt and North 24 Parganas, he said, “The factories operating since the British Raj are shutting down. Only one shop, one factory is working, which is organised through a syndicate and bribery.”
He further alleged that governance had been undermined at all levels. “In the Jungle Raj of TMC, the minister of even the lowest rank and the goon of the lowest stature consider themselves the entire government,” he said.
Highlighting the state’s potential, Modi said West Bengal could regain its economic prominence with a change in government. “Bengal has everything. The people of Bengal have abundant capability, so Bengal can once again become the number one state in the country,” he said.
Polling for the first phase of the Assembly elections concluded on Thursday with a turnout of 91.78 per cent, according to the Election Commission of India, reflecting strong voter participation.
The second phase of polling is scheduled for April 29, with counting of votes to take place on May 4. The election is being closely watched as a key political contest in the state, with both the BJP and TMC intensifying their campaigns in the final stages.
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