Last Updated on April 9, 2026 10:41 pm by INDIAN AWAAZ
S Moin in Kolkata , TN Ashok in Chennai
Senior BJP leader and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday described the ongoing elections in West Bengal as a decisive battle to restore the state’s lost glory. Addressing Parivartan Sankalp rallies in Haldia, Asansol and Suri, Modi urged voters to back BJP candidates, claiming that while the rest of the country is progressing rapidly, Bengal has lagged behind under the rule of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC).
The Prime Minister alleged that after decades of decline during the rule of the Indian National Congress and Left parties, the situation had worsened under the TMC government due to corruption. He criticised what he described as the state’s failure to achieve self-sufficiency in fish production and alleged the growth of coal and sand mafias in areas such as Asansol. Modi also promised that a BJP government would ensure investigations into corruption cases, safeguard constitutional rights and implement the Seventh Pay Commission for state employees and teachers. He later held a large roadshow in Asansol.
Meanwhile, TMC chief and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed confidence that her party would retain power in the state. Addressing a public meeting in Minakhan, Banerjee alleged that over 90 lakh names had been removed from voter lists through the SIR process and claimed that voters from different communities had been affected.
In southern India, election campaigning has also intensified in Tamil Nadu, with leaders from multiple parties actively reaching out to voters. Senior BJP leaders and Union Ministers Piyush Goyal and L. Murugan, along with former state BJP chief K. Annamalai, are campaigning for the NDA alliance.
Prominent leaders from other parties are also touring the state extensively. These include Edappadi K. Palaniswami of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, M. K. Stalin and Udhayanidhi Stalin of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, as well as leaders such as Kanimozhi Karunanidhi and Anbumani Ramadoss. Their rallies and public meetings reflect the intensifying contest as parties seek to mobilise support across the state.