Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves during a roadshow, in Gangtok, Sikkim. (PMO via PTI Photo)
KOLKATA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrapped up his party’s Bengal campaign on Monday with an ear to the ground and his eyes fixed on the “historic change” that he predicted would unravel on May 4, with him back soon after to attend the swearing-in of the state’s first BJP govt. “I sensed the mood of the people of Bengal wherever I went. I am more confident than ever that I have to be present here for the oath-taking ceremony,” PM Modi declared in Barrackpore, his last campaign stop before the second phase of polling. India’s journey to prosperity, he said, would be incomplete without “purvoday” (rise of the east). “The change that this election brings will alter the fate of entire eastern India. Keeping Bengal safe is my duty. I will never shy away from my responsibilities,” he said. Seeking to highlight BJP’s historical proximity to Bengal, Modi recounted the rise of Jana Sangh, his party’s ideological precursor, in the state. “The presidency region of Bengal gave birth to Jana Sangh and elected Syama Prasad Mookerjee as an MP. A BJP govt in Bengal will fulfil his vow of ending the perils of refugees,” he said. “A BJP govt will frame policies based on the spirit of Vande Mataram.” The PM accused CM Mamata Banerjee’s TMC of failing the state over three terms, saying the governing party forgot the very essence of “Maa, Mati, Manush” slogan that propelled it to office for the first time in 2011. “I never heard that slogan during the entire campaign. They abused Modi; they abused the armed forces and democratic institutions. They intimidated people,” he said. Modi promised that BJP forming the next govt would mark the beginning of an economic transformation, including industrial zones near Kolkata joining the “hub” of the Make-in-India project. He also assured the state of an “industrial revival package”, a guarantee of 125 days of employment under the G RAM G scheme, faster expansion of Kolkata’s metro network, preservation of trams and more EV buses for cities. On Mamata’s old promise of turning “Kolkata into London”, Modi said, “Didi changed the city’s identity instead. Infiltrators have settled in Kolkata. Humein Kolkata ko Kolkata hi banana hai (We want to restore Kolkata’s identity).” The PM described his hectic campaign as a “spiritual journey” rather than just another pitch for votes. “My roadshows weren’t limited to politics. I never got tired during the course of the campaign… I was overwhelmed by the love of the people. Every visit was like teerth yatra (pilgrimage). The love and kindness I saw in the eyes of kids, youth, women and the elderly are my life’s savings.”
