The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday unveiled a list of 40 star campaigners for the upcoming West Bengal assembly elections, including MPs Hema Malini and Kangana Ranaut among others.
The list also names key central and state figures such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, JP Nadda, Yogi Adityanath, Smriti Irani, Anurag Thakur, Bhupendra Yadav, Arjun Munda, Babulal Marandi, and Biplab Kumar Deb and others.
PM Modi’s Bengal rally
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday made the Malda gherao of judicial officers the centerpiece of the BJP’s campaign on lawlessness in West Bengal, describing it as a sign of TMC’s “maha jungleraj” and framing the assembly elections as a contest between the “bhay” spread by the ruling party and the BJP’s “bharosa”, according to PTI.
Speaking at his first election rally in Bengal, held in Cooch Behar after the poll schedule was announced, Modi used the Malda incident to underline the BJP’s twin campaign themes of worsening law and order and alleged demographic changes. He also referenced Sandeshkhali, infiltration from Bangladesh, corruption, and unemployment to launch a broadside against the Mamata Banerjee government.
PM Modi positioned the upcoming elections as a crucial battle for the state’s future, warning that “chun chun ke hisab hoga” for the alleged atrocities committed by TMC goons once the rule of law is restored after May 4.
He stated, “This cruel government is staining democracy with blood every day on the sacred soil of Bengal. This government does not care for any constitutional institution.”
“Two or three days ago, the whole country saw how judicial officers were held hostage in Malda. What kind of government is this? What kind of system is this where even judges and the constitutional process are not safe? How can such people ensure the safety of Bengal’s common people?” he asked.
PM Modi was referring to Wednesday night’s incident at Malda’s Kaliachak-II block office, where seven judicial officers, including three women, were gheraoed for hours by a mob while hearings were underway on names marked “under adjudication” in the draft electoral rolls prepared during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
He claimed the situation had deteriorated to the extent that even the Supreme Court had to step in and accused the ruling party of being “bent on carrying out the funeral procession of law and order” in Bengal.
“What happened in Malda was not merely the arrogance of the TMC. It was the sponsored ‘maha jungleraj’ of this cruel TMC government. Whenever the noose of justice tightens around the TMC, it tries to strangle constitutional institutions,” PM Modi claimed.
The Prime Minister also sought to present the electoral contest in stark binary terms.
“On one side, there is the ‘bhay’ (fear) of the TMC, and on the other side, you have the BJP’s ‘bharosa’ (trust). On one side is the fear of TMC’s cut money and corruption, and on the other side is the BJP which accelerates development,” he mentioned.
The PM also contrasted the anxiety over infiltration and the settlement of outsiders in Bengal with the BJP’s assurance of preventing such infiltration and removing those who have entered illegally.
“On one side is the fear of losing freedom on one’s own land because of changing demography. On the other side is BJP’s confidence of living with pride on one’s own soil, and head held high,” he stated.
(With inputs from agency)
