As the countdown to the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections begins, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visits to the state appear to be shifting from conventional mass rallies to more pointed and visually impactful outreach.
On 18 July, Modi is set to address a public rally at Nehru Stadium in Durgapur, but party insiders reveal that the event will begin well before he reaches the podium.
According to BJP sources, Modi will land at Andal Airport and travel by road to the rally venue, a distance of roughly 15 kilometres. The final three kilometres of this journey are being choreographed as a public mobilisation exercise, with flags, festoons, banners and cheering crowds flanking both sides of the road to welcome him.
Though no formal "roadshow" has been announced, such motorcades during Modi’s earlier visits often see spontaneous public response. “The Prime Minister often acknowledges the crowds by waving, folding hands, and sometimes stepping briefly onto the footboard,” a state party leader said.
This more grounded form of outreach stands in contrast to his 29 May visit to Alipurduar, when Modi landed directly at the venue via helicopter. The road journey this time is seen as an opportunity to generate visual impact and foster a sense of connection with the public.
Sources confirmed that the final itinerary was shared by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) with the Bengal BJP leadership on Monday. Modi is scheduled to arrive in Bengal from Bihar after attending an official event and then proceed by road from Andal to Durgapur.
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As in previous visits, the Durgapur engagement will include both administrative and political components. A separate platform is being erected behind the main rally stage for the official segment, during which the Prime Minister is expected to lay foundation stones for several infrastructure and development projects. Some project inaugurations may also be included, though full details are yet to be made public.
Following the official portion, Modi will address BJP workers and the general public from the main stage.
BJP Central Observer Sunil Bansal, who is originally from Durgapur, has taken charge of ground-level coordination. State General Secretary Jagannath Chatterjee is leading the organisational preparations, supported by MPs Soumitra Khan and Soumendu Adhikari, as well as general secretaries Agnimitra Pal and Jyotirmoy Mahato.
State BJP president Shamik Bhattacharya is expected to reach Durgapur a day before the Prime Minister’s arrival.
During Modi’s previous Bengal visit, Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar had remarked, “The Prime Minister will now visit Bengal every month.” Although a June visit was skipped due to scheduling constraints, insiders suggest that Modi is likely to return in early August as part of the party’s continued outreach in the state.
With less than eight months to go for the state elections, BJP’s Bengal strategy appears to be a blend of administrative symbolism and high-energy street-level optics.
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