Kolkata, April 22
Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday launched a sharp political attack on both the Congress and West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), predicting a poor electoral showing for his rivals in the state. Speaking at a rally in the Dum Dum area near Kolkata, he said the Congress, led by Rahul Gandhi, would struggle to win any seats in West Bengal. He also suggested that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee could face political setbacks due to her party’s ties with Congress.
Shah’s speech combined several of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s key campaign themes in the state, including concerns over illegal immigration, law and order, and allegations of entrenched local corruption. He accused the Congress leadership, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge, of lowering the tone of political discourse, while defending Prime Minister Narendra Modi against criticism from opposition leaders.
Turning his focus to the TMC, Shah said Banerjee’s political strategy could weaken her position. He also rejected claims that the BJP would appoint a non-local leader as chief minister if it wins power in the state. Instead, he said the party would choose a leader rooted in Bengal, seeking to counter a key criticism from the TMC that the BJP lacks a strong regional face.
The Home Minister also accused the state government of fostering what he described as a culture of intimidation and corruption, often referred to by the BJP as “syndicate raj”. He promised that, if elected, his party would act against such networks. The Home Minister criticised remarks he attributed to the chief minister and pledged that a BJP government would prioritise security and freedom of movement. The remarks come as campaigning intensifies in West Bengal, where political rhetoric has grown increasingly combative ahead of crucial polling phases.
