West Bengal Election 2026 Highlights: 'Anga, Banga, Kalinga' will have BJP govts next month, says Amit Shah

According to PTI, PM Modi said, “The first phase of voting has shown that the TMC may not even be able to open its account in several districts. Now you must ensure a decisive defeat for TMC and a clear victory for the BJP.”

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday claimed that the BJP would secure 110 seats in the first phase of polling in West Bengal and go on to form the government by winning a total of 200 seats when the results are declared on May 4, as per ANI.

"The public has voted in large numbers to bring a change and to form the BJP government in West Bengal. We will win 110 seats in the first phase of elections in West Bengal...BJP will form the government by winning 200 seats...," CM Biswa Sarma said.

PM Modi accused the ruling party of having "crushed the temple of democracy" in Bengal and mentioned voters had started rebuilding it through the ballots.

"In Bengal, where the TMC had crushed the temple of democracy through its dictatorship, the people have reconstructed it in the first phase of polling. Now, in the second phase, you have to unfurl the victory flag over this temple of democracy," he said, while addressing the rally, as per PTI.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi could comfortably take a boat ride on the Hooghly River in the state because its waters were clean, unlike the Yamuna in Delhi, which she claimed was heavily polluted, as per PTI.

Speaking at an election rally in Howrah, Banerjee said Modi would not be able to enjoy a similar ride on the Yamuna in the national capital due to the river’s poor condition, blaming the BJP-led administration in Delhi for the pollution.

Senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee on Friday took a potshot at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating he had inadvertently become the "biggest brand ambassador" for West Bengal tourism by showing the state's Ganga ghats, roads and street food during campaign visits, according to PTI.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) of allowing a suspended party leader to construct a mosque in West Bengal modeled on Ayodhya’s Babri Masjid. He said the BJP would not permit its construction as long as even one party worker remained alive in the state, as per PTI.

Speaking at consecutive election rallies, Shah also said that once the BJP comes to power in West Bengal, strict action would be taken against those involved in cattle smuggling, warning that the crackdown would be so severe that even their next three generations would avoid such activities.

The leading association of private bus operators in West Bengal on Friday accused authorities of “discrimination” in releasing advance payments for vehicles taken on election duty and urged the Election Commission to clear the pending dues of affected owners without delay, as per PTI.

In a statement, Joint Council of Bus Syndicates secretary Tapan Banerjee said the State Election Commission, along with the transport minister and transport secretary, had been informed since February about important financial concerns linked to the requisition of private buses.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday intensified the BJP’s call for a change of government in West Bengal, saying the first phase of voting had confirmed a strong “wave of change” in the state and marked the beginning of the end of the TMC’s alleged “maha jungle raj", as per PTI.

Speaking at an election rally in Panihati, under the Dum Dum Lok Sabha constituency in North 24 Parganas district, Modi said the high voter turnout reflected public support for the BJP’s push for change and showed growing rejection of what he described as the TMC’s “dictatorship.”

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of "insulting" the Jadavpur University's image, as per ANI.

Talking to X, the CM wrote, "Hon' ble Mr Prime Minister, Pained to ask: is this the way how you describe the meritorious students of the esteemed Jadavpur University? Is this your concept of decorum and courtesy? Jadavpur University has been receiving top ranks from your Government's NIRF ranking framework year after year, and you descend to insult that centre of excellence? You stoop so low? The students of the Jadavpur University have earned their place through merit and walk out with degrees, with intellect, with the ability to question. That is not anarchy. That is education and that is excellence."

Addressing a press conference in Kolkata, Amit Shah said the BJP will bag more than 110 of the 152 seats that went to the polls in the first phase on Thursday.

"We will have governments in 'Anga, Banga and Kalinga' after May 5," he said, referring to the ancient kingdoms that once ruled the region.

"People of Bengal broke all records in the first phase and voted with enthusiasm for a change," he said, referring to the over 92 per cent turnout," he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "In Jadavpur and South 24 Parganas, there are large numbers of brothers and sisters from our Dalit and deprived classes... The Central government runs many schemes for them, but the TMC government sitting here is against the Dalit and deprived classes. They are against the Central government’s schemes for Dalits... the solution to these problems is not far off. After May 4th, a strong BJP government will be formed. With this, the problems of Bengal will end. The people of Bengal, including the SC and ST communities, will finally receive the benefits of the Central government’s schemes..."

Addressing a public meeting in Dum Dum assembly constituency, PM Modi says the Centre will make life easier for the middle class if BJP is elected in Bengal

"If a BJP government is formed in Bengal, the welfare of the middle class will be paramount for it. To make the life of the middle class easier, the central government has taken numerous decisions over the past 11 years. Before 2014, when the government in Delhi was run with the support of TMC, the central government used to impose tax on annual income up to ₹2 lakh... We have made zero tax on annual income up to ₹12 lakh."

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday confirmed that if BJP comes to power in the state then the chief minister will be a bengali

says, "Bengal's CM is spreading rumours that if BJP comes to power in Bengal, the outsiders will rule. I want to tell Didi, the next Chief Minister of Bengal will be someone who was born in Bengal, educated in the Bengali medium and will be able to speak Bengali... The only thing is that your nephew will not be there; CM will be BJP worker."

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday congratulated voters for the record-high turnout in Phase I of the West Bengal Assembly Elections and praised the Election Commission of India (ECI) and security forces for ensuring a peaceful polling process.

In an X post, the Union Minister also expressed gratitude towards the ECI and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) personnel for a "peaceful and secure" polling process on Thursday, while hinting towards the BJP's victory, Amit Shah said that the voter turnout and peaceful polls indicate the "dawn of a new era of good governance in West Bengal."

The Union Minister and BJP leader, Shah wrote, "I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the esteemed voters of West Bengal for shattering all records of participation in this grand festival of democracy through a historic turnout in the first phase of polling."

"I express my deep gratitude and congratulations to the Honourable Election Commission, the brave personnel of all Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), and our West Bengal Police for ensuring one of the most peaceful and secure polling processes in the history of Bengal. This serves as a clear harbinger of the dawn of a new era of good governance in Bengal," the post further read.

Gourango Biswas, man whose boat was hired by Modi, was thrilled as the prime minster hugged him.

"After he alighted from my boat, he hugged me, and paid me ₹1000 as fare for the boat."

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday said that she is not looking to hold power but wants to detroy BJP, ‘After winning Bengal, I will take over Delhi’

says, "The names of all those who are working for BJP are listed... You've brought in people based on their BJP background and appointed officers accordingly... Remember, you don't have the capacity to defeat us... We fight against injustice, we fight for our rights... I was born in Bengal and will die in Bengal... After winning Bengal, I will take over Delhi... I don't want power, I want the BJP's destruction in Delhi... Not only will there be destruction in Bengal, but the BJP will also have to be removed from Delhi..."

Union Home Minister Amit Shah's reply to a supporter waiting for his roadshow in West Bengal has gone viral on the internet.

On Thursday, Union Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah shared a video of sunset with the caption, "The sun of the TMC's corruption and hooliganism has set." A user commented, asking him to reach quickly for the roadshow in Madhyamgram Assembly Constituency in the North 24 Parganas district, as the party's supporters were waiting in the heat.

The user wrote, "Jaldi aa jaiye, Amit ji...khade hai hum log road show k liye garmi me bohot der se (Please come quickly, Amit ji... We have been standing here in the heat for a very long time, waiting for the roadshow)."

The Instagram user received a prompt reply from Amit Shah, who apologised for the delay. Shah wrote, "Sorry for the delay. Reaching there in 10 mins."

On Friday, Prime Minister Modi visited the banks of the Hooghly. He said he tried his hand at photographing this great river.