Mamata Banerjee is on track, and Modi’s visit to West Bengal is expected to set the stage for the BJP’s Lok Sabha attack
Premier Narendra Modi is set to start his two-day tour to West Bengal on Friday, amidst the continuing unrest in Sandeeshakli caused by claims of sexual harassment made by women against Trinamool Congress leader Shahjahan Sheikh and his colleagues.
The Prime Minister will launch several development projects in the state and speak at rallies in Arambagh and Krishnanagar during his two-day visit.
In the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections, the PM’s visit is probably going to set the tone for the BJP’s onslaught against Mamata Banerjee and the Trinamool Congress. The Left, which had long controlled state politics, was displaced by the BJP, which emerged as the main opponent of the TMC in the 2019 general elections. In the next elections, the party also wants to increase its vote share from 18 seats to over 40%.
According to sources, PM Modi arrived in Dhanbad, Jharkhand, to officially inaugurate and lay the foundation for projects worth a total of Rs 35,700 crore. One of these projects is the fertilizer factory in Sindri, created by Hindustan Urvarak & Rasayan Ltd (HURL) with an investment surpassing Rs 8,900 crore, with the goal of achieving self-sufficiency in the urea sector.
He is expected to go to Arambagh in the Hooghly district of West Bengal later in the day at around 3 p.m. to officially launch and lay the groundwork for projects valued at Rs 7,200 crore. Among them is the opening of Indian Oil’s 518-kilometer Haldia-Barauni crude oil pipeline, which was built for around Rs 2,790 crore. The Prime Minister will also introduce major rail projects and steps to strengthen the port of Kolkata.
The timing of PM Modi’s travel to Bengal, where he intends to spend the night, is significant since it comes at a tumultuous time in the state’s politics, particularly in light of the recent events in the Sandeshkhali, North 24 Parganas area.
PM Modi is reportedly planning to hold another rally in the first week of March in Barasat, a North 24 Parganas district subdivision next to Sandeshkhali village, the alleged site of atrocities against women carried out by TMC strongman Shahjahan Sheikh and his associates.
Shortly after his detention on January 5 in relation to an assault on an Enforcement Directorate (ED) squad, Sheikh was kicked out of the party on Thursday. With allegations of land grabbing and sexual abuse against Shahjahan and his cronies, the Mamata Banerjee-led party is on the defensive.
In the meanwhile, the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) attacked the Centre ahead of PM Modi’s visit today, raising concerns about when it would pay attention to the sincere worries of MGNREGA beneficiaries in West Bengal.
“Hon’ble PM, when are you going to pay attention to Man Ki Baat, our underprivileged MGNREGA recipients?” The AITC statement said, “Mamata Banerjee-led government will clear dues of all deprived MGNREGA beneficiaries in the State by today, despite your government stopping funds.”
The message went on, “Will you suspend CBI-FIR named Suvendu Adhikari from your party today or share the stage with him to prove your ‘Modi Ki Guarantee’ to shelter corrupt people?”
