Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set for a significant two-day tour of West Bengal in the third week of January 2026, with a major railway inauguration and political rallies on the agenda.
Key Highlights of the Prime Minister's Itinerary
According to sources within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the visit is scheduled for January 17 and 18, 2026. The tour will blend infrastructure development with political outreach, a hallmark of the Prime Minister's recent visits to the state.
On January 17, PM Modi is expected to hold a public rally in North Malda. This will be followed by the centrepiece event on January 18: the inauguration and flagging off of the much-anticipated Howrah-Guwahati Vande Bharat Sleeper train from Howrah station.
Political Engagements and Party Strategy
While the detailed schedule is still being finalized, party insiders indicate that Modi will also address the BJP's 'Paribartan Sankalpa Sabha' in Howrah. This visit underscores the BJP's intensified focus on West Bengal ahead of the forthcoming Assembly elections, a theme Modi emphasized during his previous virtual address from Kolkata airport in December 2025.
In a related development, BJP national president J P Nadda is also slated to visit Kolkata on January 8 for a program related to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The state BJP unit has reportedly sought time from his office to convene a meeting with local leaders at the party headquarters.
Context: The Previous Visit and Political Rhetoric
This upcoming tour follows an aborted visit in December 2025, when the Prime Minister was scheduled to hold a public meeting in Taherpur, Nadia. Bad weather prevented his helicopter from landing, forcing him to address supporters virtually from the Kolkata airport.
During that virtual speech, PM Modi launched a sharp attack on the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), repeatedly accusing it of corruption. He rallied his party's workers and called for a 'change' in the state's political landscape, setting the tone for the BJP's campaign for the next state polls.
The imminent visit, featuring the launch of a flagship train service alongside direct public engagement, is seen as a strategic move to bolster the BJP's presence and connect with the people of West Bengal on the twin planks of development and governance.
