Prime Minister Narendra Modi took an early-morning boat ride on the Ganges in Kolkata on Friday, after the conclusion of the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly Elections, as part of his campaign for the upcoming second phase. Sailing along the Hooghly River, the Prime Minister captured visuals of the iconic Howrah Bridge and Vidyasagar Setu.
Sharing his experience on social media, Modi highlighted Bengal’s spiritual connection with the river, stating, “For every Bengali, the Ganga occupies a very special place. One can say that the Ganga flows through the soul of Bengal. Her divine waters carry the timeless spirit of an entire civilisation. This morning in Kolkata, I spent some time on the banks of the Hooghly River, an opportunity to express gratitude to Maa Ganga. Also had the opportunity to meet boatmen, whose hardworking nature is admirable, and morning walkers. On the Hooghly, reiterated our commitment to work towards the development of West Bengal and the prosperity of the great Bengali people.”
During the excursion, the Prime Minister appeared relaxed and engaged warmly with locals. He spoke with the boatman, acknowledging his work, and interacted with morning walkers along the riverbank, drawing enthusiastic responses from the public. From midstream, he reiterated his commitment to the development of West Bengal and the welfare of its people.
He also remarked that the Howrah Bridge—over which he had conducted a roadshow the previous evening—offered a completely different perspective when viewed from the river.
The boat ride is being seen as politically significant, especially with the second phase of polling in key constituencies across Kolkata and Howrah approaching.
Earlier, Modi had attracted attention in Jhargram after stopping his convoy to purchase ‘jhalmuri’ for Rs 10. The incident was later criticised by Mamata Banerjee, who termed it a “staged act.”
Following the river visit, the Prime Minister is scheduled to address public rallies in Panihati and Baruipur, continuing his campaign ahead of the next phase of voting.
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