PM Modi’s North Bengal Security Pitch: BJP MP Harsh Vardhan Shringla Explains “Chicken’s Neck” Focus

Usually, state elections are fought on domestic issues, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a rally in Siliguri, highlighted the strategic importance of the “Chicken’s Neck” — the Siliguri Corridor — while targeting the ruling Trinamool Congress. Former Foreign Secretary and BJP MP Harsh Vardhan Shringla, who hails from the region and was present on stage with the Prime Minister, explained to NDTV why national security has become a key election plank in North Bengal. The Siliguri Corridor, India’s narrow land link to the Northeast, shares international borders with Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh, making it strategically significant.