PM Modi likely to visit Bengal amid rising concerns over SIR
The Statesman | 5 December 2025
Amid widespread anxiety in West Bengal over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit the state on 20 December, with a public rally planned in the Matua-dominated region of Ranaghat in Nadia district.
BJP sources say the Prime Minister is expected to directly address the community’s concerns during the rally if the schedule remains unchanged while party leaders are also considering an additional programme in Thakurnagar, the traditional Matua stronghold in North 24-Parganas.
PM Modi’s visit plan comes against the backdrop of his closed-door meeting in Delhi on Tuesday with BJP MPs from Bengal. According to party sources, several MPs briefed the Prime Minister in detail about the fear spreading among Matuas over the SIR process. They also warned that unless the distrust is addressed immediately, the BJP could face stiff challenges in Matua-heavy constituencies during the 2026 Assembly elections.
PM Modi conveyed that he would speak on the issue directly during his Ranaghat rally. The Prime Minister was already aware of the unease among Bengali Hindus regarding SIR and had internally discussed holding a meeting in a Matua region even before Tuesday’s briefing.
As per the media sources, During the meeting, he reminded MPs that the BJP’s communication on SIR and the Centre’s welfare schemes in Bengal had been inadequate. He urged them to intensify on-ground and digital outreach, build public opinion in favour of SIR through household-level interactions, and sharpen messaging on social media.
Another key meeting took place in Delhi on Wednesday, where Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, met Union home minister Amit Shah. Political observers believe the SIR issue dominated that discussion as well. Meanwhile, the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) has accused the BJP and the Election Commission of creating panic, claiming that several suicides, including those of overburdened Booth Level Officers, were linked to the pressure of the revision exercise. Using these allegations, the TMC has intensified its attacks on the BJP.
Against this backdrop, sources said PM Modi has asked Bengal BJP leaders to highlight the benefits of SIR more assertively and to campaign on central welfare schemes, emphasising that many do not reach beneficiaries in the state due to the alleged obstruction by the Trinamool government. He also stressed strengthening booth-level organisation across Bengal.