Live Events
PM Modi announces six gurantees
'Restoring Bengal's glory'
as a Reliable and Trusted News Source Addas a Reliable and Trusted News Source Add Now!
(You can now subscribe to our
(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel
Ahead of the high-stakes polls in West Bengal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the ruling Trinamool Congress ( TMC ), saying the party “cannot absolve itself of the sins committed against Bengal’s youth, even in 100 years.”Referring to West Bengal LoP Suvendu Adhikari's victory against CM Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram in the 2021 elections, PM Modi noted that the "miracle" which took place in the previous elections will be followed this time in Bhabanipur and across the state.The faceoff comes as West Bengal gears up for its Assembly polls, scheduled to be held in two phases on April 23 and 29, with counting of votes slated for May 4. In West Bengal, the Legislative Assembly consists of 294 seats. The election in 2021 was held in eight phases. Like then, this time too Mamata Banerjee is set to contest from the Bhabanipur seat, from where she will face a repeat clash with BJP leader and West Bengal LoP Suvendu Adhikari.The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded Nandigram MLA Suvendu Adhikari against Chief Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur, which has been a strong bastion for the TMC supremo since 2011. Adhikari, who earlier defeated Mamata in the 2021 elections in Nandigram, is once again taking on Banerjee in a straightforward clash.Read more: Kerala Assembly Elections 2026 Voter Turnout: Polling underway across 140 seats, early turnout at 16.23% "I have seen that this time Bengal has decided to defeat every adverse situation. BJP's victory is visible in this enthusiasm and excitement. This is a storm of 'poribortan' (change). This is the announcement of the departure of the 'nirmam sarkaar' of TMC. Medinipur and Nandigram showed the path of change five years ago, and now the entire West Bengal has started walking on that same path of transformation. The miracle that Nandigram did five years ago is going to be repeated in Bhabanipur this time, and across the whole of Bengal," PM Modi said.1. Modi’s first guarantee: A BJP government will replace this atmosphere of fear with trust. It will restore faith in the rule of law.2. Modi’s second guarantee: Under a BJP government, the administrative machinery will be accountable—fully answerable—to the public it serves.3. Modi’s third guarantee: The files regarding every scam, every act of corruption, every injustice committed against our daughters, and every case of rape will be reopened.4. Modi’s fourth guarantee: Under the TMC’s rule, whoever has engaged in corruption belongs in jail. Be it a minister or a watchman, the law will hold everyone to account. No TMC goon will be able to evade the law any longer.5. Modi’s fifth guarantee: Refugees will be granted every right and privilege guaranteed by the Constitution. However, infiltrators will be driven out; they will not be permitted to remain in India. 6. Modi’s sixth guarantee: The moment a BJP government is formed here, we will implement the 7th Pay Commission.The PM further called the upcoming West Bengal assembly polls an important factor for restoring "Bengal's glory" and strengthening the foundation of a "developed Bengal". He further accused the TMC government of adding deadlocks to West Bengal's growth while emphasising India's growing economy across other states of the country."This election in Bengal is not an ordinary election. It is an election to re-establish Bengal's glory. It is an election to strengthen the foundation of a "developed Bengal". The first and most important step will be the farewell of the nirmam sarkaar. For building a developed Bengal, the departure of the nirmam sarkaar is very necessary. India today is progressing at a fast pace. It has the fastest growth in the world, which means many states are moving forward and trying to do something good. But while the country is moving ahead, the nirmam sarkaar of TMC is pushing Bengal backward," said the Prime Minister.Highlighting the importance of West Bengal towards India's development during the colonial era, the Prime Minister noted that at present, the TMC government has brought down all the development parameters in the state. He stressed that under the TMC regime, all the factories in Haldia have been shut, whereas only the shops of rioters and criminals have thrived."The Bengal that once formed the foundation of India's progress, that strengthened India's manufacturing and trade, has been brought down so much on all development parameters by TMC. Who knows this situation better than Medinipur and Haldia? Centuries ago, the historic Tamralipta was a flourishing port city where trade happened with the entire world. Haldia was one of the major industrial centres of modern India. But in recent decades, factories in Haldia have shut down," PM Modi said."Once people from all over the country came to Haldia; today, the youth from here are migrating to places like Andaman and Odisha in search of work. Under the nirmam sarkaar of TMC, only the factories of infiltrators have flourished, and the shops of rioters and criminals have thrived. The nirmam sarkaar has developed industries of fake document creation and cattle smuggling," he added.The polling for the 294-member Assembly in West Bengal will take place in two phases on April 23 and April 29, while counting of votes is scheduled for May 4.In the last assembly election in the state, held in eight phases in 2021, the Trinamool Congress recorded a landslide victory with 213 seats amid an intense contest with the BJP, which jumped to 77 seats. Congress and Left Front drew a blank in the last state polls.