Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s fiery attack on corruption during his Bengal rally drew sharp counterattacks from the opposition Left and Congress, who accused him of hypocrisy and electioneering ahead of the 2026 state polls.
CPI-M central committee member Sujan Chakraborty dismissed Modi’s anti-graft pitch as “sheer deception.” He argued that if jobs are to be terminated over corruption, then Union home minister Amit Shah should be the first to lose his position because of his past imprisonment. “What have the CBI and ED achieved? The people of Bengal have seen leaders walk out of jail despite mountains of cash recovered from their homes. Parents of job scam victims still roam the streets in search of justice,” Chakraborty said. He further asserted that neither Modi nor Trinamul chief Mamata Banerjee have the credibility to speak against corruption. “The Left’s 34-year government ended without a single stain of corruption on its ministers. Only the Left has the moral right to speak on this issue,” he declared.
The state Congress echoed similar criticism. Pradesh Congress former president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury labelled Modi’s Bengal and Bihar visits as “politically motivated,” calling them a prelude to the BJP’s 2026 campaign. “The bugle has been sounded,” he said. Congress spokesperson Soumya Aich Roy went a step further, alleging that every project Modi inaugurated was originally conceptualised under Congress governments. He termed TMC as BJP’s “accomplice.” “The supposed rivalry between BJP and Trinamul is nothing more than shadow boxing,” Aich Roy said. “Their real friendship lies in Delhi, while their wrestling match is staged for Bengal.” Chowdhury also highlighted Bengal’s crumbling infrastructure.