West Bengal elections: PM Narendra Modi addresses poll rally in Kolkata - Key points

Launching a scathing attack on Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that West Bengal relied on her for ushering in a change, however, she broke the trust and insulted people of the state.

Key highlights of PM Modi's speech -

1. Addressing his first rally at Brigade Parade Ground after the announcement of the West Bengal Assembly poll schedule, the Prime Minister said there are TMC, Left and Congress on one side and people of West Bengal on the other side.

"Bengal relied on Mamata didi for change. But didi and her cadre broke this trust. These people broke the trust of Bengal. These people insulted Bengal and tortured the sisters and daughters here. But these people could not break the hope and courage of the people in the state," he said.

"The dream of 'Sonar Bangla' will be fulfilled. I have come here today to assure you of Bengal's development, to increase investment here, to protect Bengal's culture and to bring change," he added.

"In this Assembly elections, there are TMC, Left and Congress, and their anti-Bengal attitude on one side. On the other side, there are people of Bengal," PM Modi said further.

2. The Prime Minister started his speech with slogans of Vande Matram and Bharat Mata ki Jai. "I have had the privilege of addressing hundreds of rallies in political life, but in such a long tenure I have never been blessed with such a mass of people. During my helicopter ride, I saw people rushing towards Brigade Ground," he said.

3. "This land of Bengal has given energy to our values. This land of Bengal given a new life in the freedom movement of India. This land of Bengal increased India's pride in the science of knowledge," he said.

4. "This Brigade Parade Ground has been witness to many great leaders and also witnessed those who have disrupted West Bengal's progress. People of Bengal never left their hopes for change. Kolkata and Bengal are very important places of inspiration for India. The slogan 'Brigade Chalo' has been echoed many times in the Brigade Ground in the past decades. This ground has seen many patriots," he added.

5. Attacking the TMC further, PM Modi said the Brigade Parade Ground has also seen the policies and conspiracies of those who put the land of Bengal round the clock and strike in a bandh.

"This ground has also been a witness to the stalling development of Bengal. This ground has also seen the policies and conspiracies of those who put the land of Bengal round the clock and strike in a bandh," he said.

6. He said that there would be no appeasement politics in the state if the BJP comes to power. The party will not entertain illegal immigrants.

"These five years are going to be really important for Bengal to prepare the development blueprint for the next 25 years. We all need to work hard towards that direction. Bengal needs a double-engine government to capitalise on that growth momentum," Modi said.

West Bengal will witness Assembly election in eight phases starting from March 27 and polling for the last phase will take place on April 29. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.

After winning 3 seats in the 2016 Assembly election in West Bengal, the BJP made deep inroads in the state in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections winning 18 seats and reducing TMC's tally to 22. Out of the total 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal, Congress won two seats, the Left drew a blank.

(With agency inputs)