Abhishek: Modi’s warranty is zero guarantee, TMC’s warranty is a lifetime one
The Statesman | 21 April 2026
Trinamul Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee said that around 15 years ago the Balrampur police station would remain locked even at ten o’clock in the morning, whereas today residents and tourists in Balarampur are living peacefully under the TMC-led state government.
He added that there has been considerable development in the area. Earlier, a fire tender would take up to two hours to arrive from Purulia town, but now Balarampur has its own fire station. Connectivity in the region has also improved significantly.
During the Left Front regime, Maoists dominated the area, but peace has now been fully restored, he said.
Referring to past political events, Banerjee mentioned that two BJP leaders died under unnatural circumstances during the 2018 gram panchayat elections. In 2019 and 2021, the BJP won the seat and, according to him, engaged in “dirty politics” over the deaths of Trilochan Mahato and Dulal Kumar.
He alleged that the then BJP national president Amit Shah had visited Purulia and promised Central government jobs to the families, but eight years later, no such jobs have been provided. He further claimed that the local MP does not respond to the families’ calls.
Banerjee accused the BJP of relying on false promises, contrasting it with the TMC’s approach. He alleged that the BJP candidate in the constituency, Jaladhar Mahato, personal assistant to Purulia MP Jyotirmoy Singh Mahato, secured the party ticket by gifting a car. He urged voters to support Shantiram Mahato, a former MLA and state minister, describing him as a grassroots leader living a simple life. He also claimed that the previous BJP candidate and sitting MLA would have lost by a margin of over 50,000 votes.
Recalling his visit to Purulia in January, Banerjee said train services such as Rupasi Bangla and the Howrah-Chakradhar Express often run up to five hours late, despite BJP representation in Parliament.
“Modi’s warranty is zero guarantee, while TMC’s warranty is a lifetime guarantee,” he said, adding that although both the MLA and MP in Purulia are from the BJP, the region has seen little development. He claimed that around 63,000 women in Balarampur receive Lakshmir Bhandar benefits.
He concluded by stating that if the BJP comes to power, it will not provide financial support to people, and urged voters to back the TMC to continue receiving government benefits, live freely and ensure drinking water supply to all households within the next five years.
Abhishek said: “In 2021, we lost by 423 votes, and as per the 2024 results, we are ahead by around 1,100 votes here. This time, it is my urge that each anchal and booth give a befitting reply to the Bangla-birodhi jallads who have humiliated us. The margin should not be just 5,000 or 10,000. Shanti da spoke about the lac industry. The work of forming clusters that had started earlier ~ if Shanti da had won, the development of this industry would have been much better. But from 2026 to 2029, all those involved in the lac industry in Balarampur, we promise to change their lives for good. Ensure Shantiram Mahato’s victory.”