Prime Minister Narendra Modi has intensified his attacks on the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal, asserting that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will form the government in the state.
Addressing four rallies across tribal belts in Purulia, Bankura, Jhargram, and West Midnapore's Belda, Modi said the BJP will come to power in the state after the two-phase elections.
He framed the election as a wider battle over Bengal's identity, language, and culture, accusing the TMC of favouring 'infiltrators', neglecting tribals, and presiding over corruption and 'cut-money' politics.
Modi's push in south Bengal signals the BJP's attempt to expand beyond its stronghold in north Bengal, where it won 30 of 54 assembly seats in 2021.
He focused on women and tribal voters, key constituencies for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and outlined welfare promises from the BJP's manifesto, including financial assistance for women, housing support, and schemes for tribal and marginal communities.
