Taherpur (West Bengal): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal, describing the prevailing situation in the state as “maha jungle raj” and alleging that corruption, nepotism and appeasement politics have stalled development.
Addressing a large gathering at Taherpur in Nadia district through a virtual link from Kolkata, after dense fog prevented his helicopter from landing at the venue, the Prime Minister urged people to give the BJP an opportunity to form a “double-engine government” in the 2026 Assembly elections. The term is used by the BJP to describe a situation where the party is in power both at the Centre and in the state.
Speaking at the Parivartan Sankalpa Sabha, the fourth such rally in West Bengal this year, Modi said the ruling party could oppose him and the BJP as much as it wanted but could not hold the people to ransom or block the state’s progress. He alleged that Bengal was being governed through a system dominated by corruption, nepotism and appeasement, and promised to end what he called the TMC’s “maha jungle raj”.
The Prime Minister claimed that the culture of “cut money and commission” had derailed development in the state despite sufficient funds, schemes and goodwill being available. He said he wanted to put his full strength behind Bengal’s development and appealed to voters to bring a double-engine government to the state.
Referring to the NDA’s recent landslide victory in Bihar, Modi said the outcome in the neighbouring state would have a positive impact on the BJP’s prospects in Bengal. Drawing a metaphor, he remarked that since the Ganga flows into Bengal from Bihar, the political momentum would also reach the state.
Modi claimed there was growing public sentiment against the TMC at the grassroots level and said the streets and lanes of Bengal were echoing with the slogan “Banchte chai, BJP tai” (Need BJP to live). The rally was held in the Ranaghat area of Nadia district, a region with a significant presence of the Matua community, amid concerns over disenfranchisement following the publication of the SIR draft rolls.
Invoking the Matua community’s spiritual leaders Harichand Thakur and Guruchand Thakur, the Prime Minister highlighted their role in social reform and community upliftment. He greeted the gathering with the slogan ‘Joy Nitai’, referencing the 15th-century saint Nityananda, and also recalled the contributions of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, both revered by the Matua community.
On the issue of infiltration, a key poll plank of the BJP in the state, Modi accused the Trinamool Congress of supporting and protecting infiltrators. He alleged that the TMC was opposing the SIR exercise to prevent infiltrators from being identified, calling it reflective of the party’s true character.
The Prime Minister also referred to the recent “Bankim da” controversy in Parliament and paid tribute to Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, the composer of ‘Vande Mataram’, recalling him as “Rishi Bankim Babu” and noting the ongoing 150-year celebrations of the national song.
Modi further accused the TMC of absorbing the flaws of the Left parties despite having ousted them from power in the state. Drawing a comparison with Tripura, he claimed that the northeastern state had witnessed rapid development under BJP rule, while Bengal’s growth had declined under the TMC regime.
