‘Bengal campaign a spiritual journey’: PM Modi at last rally ahead of 2nd phase voting

PRime government minister Narendra Modi on mon said he underwent a “ negro spiritual go through” piece campaigning in West Bengal for more than a month for the two--phase assembly elections and described his roadshows and rallies as a “pilgrimage.”In an audio message and open letter to the people of West Bengal on the final day of campaigning for the second and last phase of the state polls, Modi expressed gratitude to the residents and exuded confidence that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will form the next government, saying he will “celebrate the oath-taking ceremony together with the people”.“Despite addressing so many rallies amid the intense heat, I did not feel even the slightest fatigue during this election campaign in West Bengal. These rallies, these road shows... I felt as if I was on a pilgrimage,” he said.“Whenever I went among the devotees of Maa Kali... Perhaps Maa Kali herself kept filling me with continuous energy,” the Prime Minister said.Separately, Union home minister Amit Shah attended two roadshows before offering prayers at Gangasagar island in South 24 Parganas district.“Brothers and sisters, go and vote on the 29th, do not worry about Didi’s (Mamata Banerjee’s) goons. The Election Commission has deployed CAPF at every nook and corner, and I am telling you that even though the BJP will come to power after the elections, central forces will remain here for 60 more days,” he said.Also read: Modi’s two-day visit to Varanasi begins todayIn 2021, the BJP won 59 of the 152 seats across 16 districts in the first phase but only 18 of the 142 seats up for grabs in the second phase. The second phase is widely seen as the deciding factor in the West Bengal polls because Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress controls these seven districts.“To prepare for the Pran Pratistha (consecration) ceremony at Ram Mandir in Ayodhya in January 2024, I undertook an 11-day spiritual journey and visited shrines and temples across India. In this election, I underwent the same feeling. It felt like a visit to a temple,” Modi said at his last BJP rally in North 24 Parganas’ Barrackpore, hours before campaigning ended.The PM said he was confident about victory. “It is my responsibility to save Bengal from a huge challenge. This is a part of my destiny. I will not step back,” he said. “In 1857, Barrackpore witnessed the first struggle for India’s freedom. Today, the slogan ‘Paltano Dorkar’ (change is necessary) is resonating with the people,” Modi said, referring to the first war of Indian independence. “This is my last rally. The mood I have seen among Bengal’s people gives me a strong belief that I have to return to attend the oath-taking ceremony of a BJP government after May 4,” he added.“This is an election to change the fate of the entire east and north-east. In the past, India had three pillars: Anga (Bihar), Banga (Bengal) and Kalinga (Odisha). Whenever they became weak, India suffered. Today, as India marches towards development, it is necessary for Anga, Banga and Kalinga to be strong. It is not possible unless the sun shines on the entire east,” said Modi.“In 2013, even before becoming Prime Minister, I said eastern India will move ahead and so will the nation. The lotus (BJP’s election symbol) has bloomed in Bihar and Odisha. The atmosphere tells me that it will certainly bloom in Bengal. Anga, Banga, and Kalinga have put their trust in the BJP,” he added.Modi spoke on the BJP’s electoral promises — monthly monetary assistance of ₹3,000 for women and unemployed people, implementation of Seventh Pay Commission recommendations for state employees and various social welfare schemes — but focused on his personal feelings in the final campaign speech.Later in the day, Modi wrote an open letter to voters.“I drew power from faith, inspiration from the lives of Bengal’s great personalities and energy from the love millions of you showered on me. This is a spiritual experience I can never forget. I toured every corner of this nation over four decades as a BJP worker. Carrying out my duties during elections was a part of those journeys. I never cared if the weather was hot or cold, if it was day or night. Ever since I left home, I found peace in the company of people. You are my family,” Modi said. “This is a historic moment and Bengal is going to make a historic change in the 150th year of the composition of Vande Matram by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay who was born here,” Modi added.“I noticed during the campaign that no TMC leader mentioned their Ma Mati Manush (mother, land and people) slogan even once although they came to power by raising it. None of them presented a report card on the government’s performance over 15 years. They did nothing for the mother or her security, they did nothing for farmers and the youth and forgot the people,” he said.