Only BJP-NDA Can End Mafia Raj In Bengal: PM Modi Attacks TMC In Asansol

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday sharpened his attack on the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in West Bengal, declaring that only a BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) administration could restore Asansol's industrial might and liberate the state from what he termed "mafia rule".

Addressing a rally in Asansol, the Prime Minister described the TMC regime as "ruthless" and accused successive governments of betraying Bengal's people.

"This election is not just about changing the government," ANI quoted the PM as saying. "It is about restoring Asansol's old industrial strength and breaking free from mafia rule. Only the BJP-NDA government can accomplish this task."

Modi alleged that decades of mismanagement and corruption under Congress, the Left Front, and now the TMC had crushed Bengal's dreams and eroded its future. He argued that voters no longer trusted promises alone, but wanted to judge parties by their track record, claiming that the BJP had the strongest record of development.

Turning his focus to Asansol's economic decline, Modi highlighted the coal belt's plight under the TMC. He accused syndicates of monopolising trade and blamed coal black-marketing, sand mafias and land mafias for driving young people to migrate in search of opportunities. "This is the plight of the entire state of Bengal," he said, linking the region's decline to broader mismanagement.

The Prime Minister also invoked Bengal's historic economic contribution to India. At independence, he noted, Bengal accounted for 11-12 per cent of national income. By 2011, after decades of Congress and Left rule, this had fallen to just 6 per cent. Modi accused the TMC of worsening the situation, claiming that while ordinary Bengalis saw their incomes decline, TMC leaders and syndicates grew wealthier. "You trusted the TMC to rectify matters, but they crossed every boundary of cruelty and ruthlessness," he said.

Promising change, Modi assured voters that a BJP government would resolve the region's problems. "I assure you that after 4 May, the ruthless government will go, and the BJP government will come. Every single problem in this area will be resolved," he pledged.

West Bengal's 294-member Assembly will go to polls in two phases, on 23 and 29 April, with counting scheduled for 4 May. The last Assembly election in 2021 saw the TMC secure a landslide victory with 213 seats, while the BJP won 77. Congress and the Left Front failed to win any seats. This time, the BJP is seeking to build on its gains, while the TMC aims to retain its dominance in one of India's most politically charged states.