Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a sharp critique against the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government on the eve of his visit to West Bengal, accusing it of pervasive misgovernance. His remarks, made on social media platform X, triggered an immediate and fierce rebuttal from the ruling party in the state, setting the stage for a politically charged visit.
High-Profile Visit and Development Push
On Saturday, December 20, Prime Minister Modi travelled to Nadia district in West Bengal for a significant public engagement. The centrepiece of his visit was a public programme in Ranaghat, where he inaugurated and laid foundation stones for national highway projects with a combined worth of Rs 3,200 crore.
The key projects include the inauguration of a 66.7 km four-lane stretch on the Barajaguli-Krishnanagar section of NH-34. Additionally, the foundation stone was laid for the four-laning of the Barasat-Barajaguli section of the same highway. These infrastructure developments are aimed at significantly improving connectivity between Kolkata and Siliguri.
A War of Words Erupts
Ahead of his visit, PM Modi set the political tone with a post on X. He stated that while the people of Bengal were benefiting from central government schemes, they were "suffering due to the TMC's misgovernance in every sector." He accused the TMC of "loot and intimidation" and positioned the BJP as the people's hope.
The Trinamool Congress hit back with a strongly-worded counterattack. In its response on X, the party blamed the Centre for Bengal's troubles, citing the withholding of state dues worth nearly Rs 2 lakh crore despite collecting over Rs 6.5 lakh crore in taxes from the state. The TMC also accused the BJP of insulting Bengal's cultural icons, branding people as "Bangladeshis," and misusing central agencies.
While stating that Bengal welcomes guests, the TMC's post concluded with a clear political warning: "The people of Bengal will reject you in 2026, just as they have in every election before that."
Electoral Roll Revision and Matua Community in Focus
PM Modi's rally was held in Taherpur, Ranaghat, an area with a significant population of the Matua community. The visit comes amid a heated political controversy over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The TMC, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has organised protests against the SIR, alleging it could disenfranchise lakhs of genuine voters, particularly refugee Hindus including Matuas.
BJP MP from Ranaghat, Jagannath Sarkar, claimed that fears about the SIR were being deliberately spread among Matuas and expressed hope that the Prime Minister's message would dispel these concerns. In anticipation of a large crowd for the PM's rally, the Sealdah Division of Eastern Railways arranged additional train services on the Kalyani-Lalgola section to manage passenger rush.
This visit marks PM Modi's first trip to West Bengal since the commencement of the contentious SIR exercise, underscoring the high-stakes political battle unfolding in the state ahead of the 2026 assembly elections.
