Modi Fires Bengal Poll Salvo From Cooch Behar's Ras Mela Ground

BJP's 'Bijoy Sankalpa Sabha' marks PM's first campaign rally in West Bengal since assembly elections were announced; TMC governance, law and order in crosshairs

BJP Opens Bengal Battle

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday formally launched the Bharatiya Janata Party's election campaign in West Bengal, addressing a massive 'Bijoy Sankalpa Sabha' at the Ras Mela grounds in Cooch Behar — a district that has steadily emerged as one of the party's most reliable strongholds in the state's north.

The rally, scheduled at 4:15 pm, marked the PM's first election meeting in the state since poll dates were officially announced. It also constituted his fourth public meeting at the same Ras Mela grounds, having previously addressed gatherings there during the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha campaigns and the 2021 assembly polls.

TMC's Record on Trial

During the rally, Modi was expected to outline BJP's vision for a "developed West Bengal", highlight issues raised in the party's recently released 'People's Chargesheet' against the ruling Trinamool Congress, and press hard on governance failures, law and order deterioration, and allegations of corruption.

Party leaders framed the event as more than an electoral opener. According to a BJP statement, the Prime Minister's visit was "centred on transitioning West Bengal from an era of systemic 'bhoy' (fear) to a future of 'bhorosa' (trust)", and the rally was described as "a definitive launchpad to replace the chronicle of betrayal with a commitment to security and growth."

North Bengal: The Saffron Citadel

Cooch Behar was not an arbitrary choice. In the 2021 assembly elections, BJP won 30 of the 54 seats in north Bengal, with Cooch Behar contributing seven of the nine seats from the district. The region has delivered consistently for the party across electoral cycles, and BJP is keen to consolidate those gains with boots on the ground well before the April 23 first phase of polling.

Among the development projects highlighted in the district is a Rs 1,010-crore city gas distribution initiative, which party functionaries have been projecting as evidence of the Centre's commitment to the region.

Last Bengal Visit: March 14

Modi had last visited the state on March 14, when he addressed a major rally at the Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata, marking the culmination of BJP's statewide 'Parivartan Yatra' campaign. During that visit, he inaugurated and laid foundation stones for infrastructure and connectivity projects worth approximately Rs 18,680 crore, including national highway developments valued at around Rs 16,990 crore, covering over 420 kilometres of road projects.

Campaign Machine Rolls On

The April 5 rally is set to be followed by a series of public meetings, roadshows, and organisational programmes by senior BJP leaders across the state ahead of the polls, as the party gears up for what it has described as a final push for a decisive mandate in Bengal.

Meanwhile, TMC has been mounting its counter-offensive. West Bengal minister Firhad Hakim, contesting from Kolkata Port constituency, warned that a BJP government in the state could damage local culture. "Hatred in politics is very wrong," he said, adding that the party's focus remained on development and direct engagement with voters.

Two-Phase Vote, May 4 Count

Elections to the 294-member West Bengal Legislative Assembly will be held in two phases — on April 23 and April 29 — with votes counted on May 4. The contest is shaping up as a direct, high-decibel clash between the BJP's national machinery and the TMC's incumbent organisational depth, with north Bengal expected to be among the most hotly contested stretches of the electoral map.

What to Watch Ahead

With Modi's Bengal poll campaign now officially underway, the coming days will see an escalating battle of narratives. BJP's central leadership — including Home Minister Amit Shah and party president JP Nadda — is expected to intensify its presence across the state. TMC, for its part, will rely heavily on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's personal campaign, with the CM herself contesting from Bhabanipur.

The Cooch Behar rally has set the tone: governance failures, alleged corruption, and the promise of a "fear-free" Bengal are expected to remain the core of BJP's message through the final weeks of campaigning before the West Bengal assembly elections 2026.