From Above National Average, Bengal's Income Now Below: PM Slams Trinamool

Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused West Bengal's ruling All India Trinamool Congress of opposing the Special Intensive Revision of voter lists today so "infiltrators are not identified". Addressing his first rally in the state at north Bengal's Cooch Behar - a BJP bastion - he said a "ruthless government has turned Bengal into a hub of migration".

With less than three weeks to go for the election, campaigning in West Bengal has entered an intense phase, with top political leaders fanning out across the state to galvanise voters. Polling will be held in two phases on the April 23 and 29 of this month, setting stage for a high-stakes contest.

Addressing a massive rally today, PM Modi launched a sharp attack on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's government. He asserted that the people of West Bengal are seeking change and claimed that the growing support for the BJP has left the ruling establishment "nervous".

"These Trinamool people are opposing the SIR. So infiltrators cannot be identified, instead, the Trinamool is threatening to scrap the CAA. They will strip citizenship from those Hindu refugees who have been granted it and give that citizenship to infiltrators. Because TMC considers infiltrators their vote bank," he said.

Pointing to the large turnout at the rally as evidence of shifting public sentiment, he said it reflects a desire to bring the Trinamool rule to an end. 

He also accused the ruling party of fostering a "syndicate culture" and alleged that law and order has deteriorated under its governance. Raising concerns over women's safety, PM Modi claimed the current administration has failed to provide a secure environment.

Making a strong pitch for the need for development in Bengal, he said though Bengal was at the forefront of development, trade, industry, art, and culture at one time, the state has been bled dry first by the Congress, then by the Left, and now by the Trinamool.

"Previously, people in Bengal always earned more than the average person in the country. But now, the average person in Bengal earns far less than the national average," he said. "Previously, people used to come to Bengal for employment. A ruthless government has turned that same Bengal into a hub of migration," he added.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, meanwhile, has stepped up her campaign as well, addressing multiple rallies across the state in support of her party's candidates. She recently held a public meeting in south Kolkata's Bhabanipur -- her seat from where she will be contesting against the BJP's Suvendu Adhikari for a fouth term.

Senior Trinamool leader Abhishek Banerjee also intensified outreach efforts, addressing an election rally in Raina in Purba Bardhaman district. The party leadership is focusing on both urban and rural constituencies as it aims to retain power.

Other political formations, including the Congress and the Left parties, are also actively campaigning, primarily through smaller public meetings and grassroots outreach programmes across the state.

With campaigning gaining momentum and major leaders crisscrossing West Bengal, the political temperature is rising steadily. The coming days are expected to witness sharper exchanges and heightened mobilisation as all parties make a final push to sway voters in what promises to be a closely watched electoral battle.