1,400 firms moved out from Bengal, we will provide work: Maharashtra CM Fadnavis
The Statesman | 18 April 2026
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday alleged that around 1,400 companies with long-standing links to West Bengal have shifted their base to Maharashtra, underscoring what he described as a steady economic decline of the state under the present dispensation.
Addressing a Press conference at a five-star hotel in New Town during his campaign for the West Bengal Assembly Election, Mr Fadnavis claimed that several major firms, some of which had been associated with Bengal for over five decades, have relocated and are now operating from Maharashtra. “Nearly 1,400 companies have left Bengal and are doing business in Maharashtra. Many of them are major companies. It is being argued that while old companies have left, new ones have registered here. My question is ~ have they started full-fledged operations? Let that data be made public. It cannot be furnished,” he said.
Echoing concerns raised earlier by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr Fadnavis alleged that West Bengal’s contribution to the national economy has diminished over the years. He maintained that the state is lagging behind in industrial growth and employment generation. The Maharashtra Chief Minister also sought to pitch the Bharatiya Janata Party’s employment agenda, promising that if voted to power in Bengal, the party would facilitate job opportunities for one crore youths in line with its “Sankalp Patra”.
“About 65 per cent of the country’s population is below the age of 35. Employment generation for them is crucial. Governments create enabling environments, but it is industries that ultimately generate jobs. There is a limit to government employment. BJP-ruled states have ensured such an ecosystem, and Bengal will also witness the same transformation,” he asserted.
Mr Fadnavis further expressed confidence that West Bengal could regain its position among the top five states in the country in terms of economic performance within the next five to seven years, provided there is a change in governance. The BJP leadership has repeatedly flagged issues of rising unemployment and lack of large-scale industrial investment in the state during the ongoing campaign. Party leaders have accused the ruling Trinamul Congress of failing to create adequate job opportunities and of driving industries away.
The Trinamul Congress, however, has rejected these allegations, claiming that unemployment in the state has declined significantly and that overall development indicators have improved. The ruling party has also accused the BJP of making unrealistic promises to voters ahead of the Assembly poll. With the Assembly poll drawing closer, economic performance, industrial growth, and employment generation are emerging as key themes in the political discourse, with both sides attempting to shape the narrative around Bengal’s development trajectory.