Overview
- Ahead of the 2026 polls, Shah told a Kolkata press conference that 15 years of Trinamool rule brought fear, corruption and misgovernance, alleging a 'toll syndicate' choking central welfare schemes.
- Framing cross-border infiltration as a national-security issue, he promised a 'national grid' to seal Bengal's borders and vowed that illegal entrants would be identified and expelled if the BJP forms the state government.
- He accused the Mamata Banerjee government of refusing land for India–Bangladesh border fencing, saying he has written seven letters seeking cooperation and asserting the BSF cannot act effectively without it.
- Shah ordered 'tight and aggressive mobilisation' by BJP cadres, reviewed organisational readiness in late-night meetings, and instructed positive, mass outreach as part of a three-day strategy visit.
- He courted key voter groups, reassured the Matua community during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, and cited the BJP’s recent growth in the state to bolster his confidence.