BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya has announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the meeting in Taherpur via an audio call from Kolkata.
His helicopter could not land at the helipad at Taherpur due to the thick fog. The helicopter hovered above the spot but had to return to the Kolkata airport as the fog was not allowing the aircraft to land.
Modi had arrived in the city earlier in the day and was to travel to the next location in a chopper to inaugurate as well as lay the foundation stone of different infrastructure projects, including those related to highways. The weather conditions, however, later went on to affect his schedule.
Also Read | PM Modi’s Taherpur visit hit by fog, chopper turns back to Kolkata airport
Apology to supporters at Taherpur
As per a report by NDTV, Modi apologised to the party supporters who had gathered at the venue of the Taherpur rally. A large number of supporters had gathered at the site from morning to witness the event, which was conducted under the Ranaghat Lok Sabha constituency.
Attack on Trinamool Congress
During the virtual address, Modi launched a scathing attack on the Trinamool Congress, accusing the government of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of shielding illegal immigrants. According to the prime minister, the Trinamool is also opposing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list due to the presence of illegal immigrants in the country. The prime minister appealed for the opportunity to form a double-engine government in the state of West Bengal.
"Let Trinamool oppose me and BJP as much as it wants, but Bengal's progress should not be stopped," said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing the state administration of impeding development schemes.
Emphasis on 2026 Bengal Elections
As per the report by NDTV, the Taherpur event was also politically important, with expectations that Modi could officially mark the beginning of the BJP’s poll campaign for the 2026 Assembly polls in West Bengal. The rally was named Parivartan Sankalpa Sabha and was meant to effectively challenge the TMC on the issue of citizenship, especially with regard to the Matuas.
Two different platforms were erected for the inauguration of government programs and the political rally. Though the fog created disruption, the BJP leaders were seen speaking to the masses on the ground, and the address by the prime minister happened online.
