22nd August, Friday: Before the rally, Prime Minister Modi officially opened and laid the groundwork for more than ₹5,200 crore worth of development projects. These included the Kona Expressway, a six-lane elevated motorway, and three new metro segments: Sealdah–Esplanade, Beleghata–Hemanta Mukhopadhyay, and Noapara–Jai Hind (airport). These projects are expected to greatly improve connectivity and urban mobility throughout Kolkata.
The Prime Minister harshly criticized the TMC during his speech at Dum Dum Central Jail Maidan, charging it with enabling infiltration into the state for electoral purposes. He reminded voters that their one vote could drive out infiltrators and stated that the BJP's next goal is to preserve Bengal's demographic integrity.
Modi also highlighted ongoing anti-corruption reform initiatives, citing the 130th Amendment Bill, which would disqualify leaders who are imprisoned for longer than 30 days. He framed this as necessary to maintain constitutional integrity. Using imprisoned ministers Partha Chatterjee and Jyoti Priya Mallick as examples, he charged that the TMC was against such measures.
Modi also highlighted ongoing anti-corruption reform initiatives, citing the 130th Amendment Bill, which would disqualify leaders who are imprisoned for longer than 30 days. He framed this as necessary to maintain constitutional integrity. Using imprisoned ministers Partha Chatterjee and Jyoti Priya Mallick as examples, he charged that the TMC was against such measures.
Modi emphasized that his government had made Bengali a classical language, reaffirming the BJP's dedication to Bengali culture. He appealed to voters to bring about a BJP-led transformation for "Developed Bengal" by portraying the TMC as a barrier to progress.
The fact that this is PM Modi's third rally in West Bengal in as many months highlights the BJP's vigorous electoral outreach in the run-up to the 2026 State Assembly elections.The blend of infrastructure announcements and pointed political critique reflects a concerted effort to align development discourse with electoral appeal, amplifying BJP’s narrative of progress versus governance failures.
