West Bengal

IIE DIGITAL DESK : Kulti, West Bengal, April 21: The first phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections on April 23, the political temperature in the state has reached a boiling point. After Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s sharp warning to alleged Trinamool Congress-backed “goons” to surrender before voting day, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has now escalated the rhetoric with an even sterner message.

Addressing an election rally in Kulti in West Burdwan district on Tuesday, Shah issued a blunt warning to what he described as “TMC-backed miscreants,” cautioning them against stepping out on polling day to create trouble. In a fiery speech, he said they should “listen carefully” and refrain from attempting any violence or disruption during the vote. If they defy this warning, he declared, they would face severe consequences once the Bharatiya Janata Party forms the government in Bengal.

Shah asserted that if the BJP comes to power in the state on May 4, those involved in alleged intimidation, booth capturing or violence would not be spared. In a dramatic turn of phrase that drew loud cheers from the crowd, he warned that those who attempt to disturb peace on April 23 would be “hung upside down and straightened out” after the BJP assumes office. The remark immediately became the talking point of the campaign’s final stretch.

Throughout the campaign, both Modi and Shah have repeatedly accused the ruling Trinamool Congress of fostering what they describe as “syndicate raj” and “mafia raj” in the state. They have alleged that corruption, extortion networks and politically shielded violence have flourished under the current regime. The BJP leadership has vowed not only “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas” but also “Sabka Hisaab,” signalling that accountability would follow if they form the next government.

Just days earlier, speaking at a rally in Bankura, Prime Minister Modi had similarly warned alleged ruling party-backed elements to surrender at their local police stations before polling day. He urged them to do so before April 23, adding that once results are declared and if the BJP forms the government, “no one will be spared.” Modi referred to coal smuggling, syndicate operations and alleged mafia networks, claiming that a decisive change was imminent in Bengal.

Shah’s Kulti speech also touched upon the issue of illegal infiltration, a recurring theme in BJP’s Bengal campaign. He said that if the BJP is voted to power on May 5, the party would identify and expel infiltrators from the state. He accused the Trinamool Congress of encouraging infiltration for vote bank politics and promised a firm administrative response under a BJP government.

The strong language used by both national leaders reflects the high-stakes nature of the election in West Bengal. The BJP has positioned this election as a battle to end what it calls political violence and entrenched corruption, while the Trinamool Congress has countered by accusing the BJP of attempting to polarise voters and intimidate opponents with aggressive rhetoric.

Security arrangements across the state have been tightened, with central forces deployed in sensitive constituencies to ensure free and fair voting. The Election Commission has reiterated its commitment to maintaining peace and preventing any attempts at voter intimidation.

The charged statements from top BJP leaders underline how fiercely contested this election has become. With April 23 fast approaching and counting scheduled for early May, Bengal now stands at a decisive political crossroads. Whether such warnings translate into electoral gains will be known only after the ballots are counted, but for now, the rhetoric signals that the battle for Bengal is entering its most intense phase.