Overview
- At rallies in Singur and Malda on January 18, Narendra Modi accused the TMC government of protecting infiltrators, obstructing border fencing and allowing illegal immigrants to obtain forged documents, calling for those identified to be sent back.
- Before the Singur event, Modi launched projects worth over Rs 830 crore, inaugurating a new rail line, flagging Amrit Bharat trains connecting Kolkata and outlining port-led upgrades he said would spur jobs and infrastructure.
- Modi alleged West Bengal has blocked central welfare programmes such as Ayushman Bharat, PM Matsya Sampada and PM SHRI Schools, positioning a BJP government as necessary for delivery under a ‘double-engine’ model.
- The TMC rejected the charges, citing Rs 13.8 lakh crore in investment since 2011 and a sanctioned Rs 500-crore warehouse project in Singur while asserting the state’s industrial momentum and disputing the BJP’s cultural claims.
- The BJP has assigned MPs and senior leaders to specific districts to deepen its presence in South Bengal, Kolkata and border belts, areas where it has historically underperformed and sees gains as essential to challenging the TMC.