Ahead of the high-stakes Assembly elections in West Bengal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday reached out to the people of the state with an emotive open letter in Bengali in which he sought a mandate for the BJP and promised to bring development and prosperity to the state.
Greeting the people with “Joy Maa Kali” instead of “Jai Shri Ram”, the Prime Minister wrote that the fate of West Bengal and the future of the next generation would depend on the “well-considered decision” of the people during the Assembly elections, which is “only a few months away”.
“The people of my dream, ‘Sonar Bangla’—from the children to the elderly—are victims of extreme deprivation today. My heart is heavy with their pain. Therefore, from the depths of my soul, I have taken a single pledge: the pledge to make West Bengal developed and prosperous,” wrote the PM.
Modi, who is set to visit West Bengal next month, accused the TMC government in the state of “extreme non-cooperation, corruption, and a politics of appeasement”.
Invoking the legacies of Bengal’s icons, such as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and Rabindranath Tagore, the Prime Minister said the “very sacred land” of West Bengal has been “tarnished by illegal infiltration and atrocities against women”.
“In the Sonar Bangla of Kobiguru Rabindranath Tagore, fake voters now hold sway. Today, the entire nation is concerned about West Bengal sinking into the darkness of lawlessness… The dream that visionaries like Swami Vivekananda and Rishi Aurobindo once envisioned for West Bengal is today plagued by narrow vote-bank politics, violence, and anarchy. This is deeply painful for me and for every resident of West Bengal,” the Prime Minister wrote.
Making a call for a change in the government, Modi wrote, “But how much longer shall we remain silent and endure this? Change is now inevitable.”
Promising to end alleged infiltration and ensure women’s security, Modi appealed to voters of West Bengal to “restore the state to its former glory as the nation’s intellectual and industrial pioneer”.
“In the post-Independence era, it was this very West Bengal that was the North Star of the nation’s economy and a pioneer of industrialisation. Yet, seeing the current ailing and dilapidated state of West Bengal today, my heart is pained. The irreparable damage caused to West Bengal due to the misrule and politics of appeasement over the last six decades is beyond description. On one hand, the youth are forced to migrate day and night due to a lack of employment; on the other, the mothers and sisters of my West Bengal live in fear and distress due to a lack of security,” the PM claimed.
Stating the impact of Central welfare schemes such as the Jan Dhan Yojana and Ujjwala Yojana, the PM wrote, “Over the last 11 years, fueled by the blessings of the people, my government has prioritised public welfare and all-round advancement. From the welfare of our farmer brothers to fulfilling the dreams of the youth and the empowerment of women, the fruits of our policies and tireless efforts are visible today at every level.”
“Despite the extreme non-cooperation and hostility of the state government, 5 crore people in West Bengal have been brought under the banking network today through the central Jan Dhan Yojana. Through the ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’, we have made it possible to construct 89 lakh toilets in the state… I have been able to make 56 lakh senior citizens self-reliant through Atal Pension Yojana. Through Ujjwala Yojana, I am blessed to have delivered cooking gas connections to over 1 crore families,” Modi said.
Accusing the ruling TMC of “busy snatching away people’s jobs”, Modi said that his government at the Centre has provided Rs 2.82 lakh crore loans to small businessmen and entrepreneurs.
He also said that over 32 lakh farmers were given direct financial assistance through Krishi Samman Nidhi.
“Today, in various states across the country, the standard of living has improved, and smiles have returned to the faces of the poor. Through the Ayushman Bharat scheme, health security has been provided, new employment for the youth has been secured, and the safety of women has been guaranteed. This very progress and development are now earnestly desired in West Bengal as well,” he said.
Towards the end of the letter, Modi appealed to the people of West Bengal to give him and his party, the BJP, an opportunity to “serve the state”.
“My humble appeal to the dear people of West Bengal: please join this great mission of development (Unnayan-yagna). I am eagerly waiting for an opportunity to serve you—an opportunity where, in the words of Kobiguru, ‘the mind is without fear, and the head is held high’, and where there will be liberation from corruption and misrule. The safety of our mothers and sisters will be guaranteed,” he wrote.
“The sons and daughters of this land will no longer have to migrate day and night in search of work. Bengal’s culture will reclaim its lost glory. Our refugee brothers and sisters, who have been victims of religious violence, will receive citizenship through the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), and a system of good governance, free from illegal infiltration, will be established in my West Bengal,” he promised.
He also invoked Syama Prasad Mookerjee, writing that due to “his relentless efforts, West Bengal remains an integral part of India today”.
“To revitalise the West Bengal of his dreams, come, let us join shoulder to shoulder and take a firm pledge in 2026 to build a ‘Viksit West Bengal’,” he added.
Modi is likely to address a public meeting at Kolkata’s Brigade Parade Ground in the second week of March as the state gears up for the Assembly elections.
In the last Assembly elections in 2021, the BJP emerged as the main Opposition party but failed to defeat the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC. While the BJP won 77 Assembly seats out of the total 294 with 38 per cent vote share, the ruling TMC formed the government for the third consecutive term with 213 seats with an all-time high vote share of 47 per cent. At present, the BJP has 64 MLAs as several leaders left the party to join the TMC.