At a public rally in Mathabhanga, Cooch Behar, on April 18, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath criticised the Trinamool Congress (TMC), Congress, and Left parties while emphasising governance and development achievements under the BJP-led governments in Uttar Pradesh and at the Centre ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections.
Comparing law and order between West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, Adityanath stated, “This was also the condition of Uttar Pradesh earlier, but today there is no riot, no curfew, everything is peaceful under the double-engine government.”
He accused the West Bengal government of facing serious internal challenges related to law and order and alleged infiltration, saying, “Bengal is filled with infiltrators from Bangladesh, and people are living in fear. In the last 15 years, more than 7,000 factories have shut down. The money is looted by TMC goons.”
The Chief Minister also alleged discrimination against religious expression in West Bengal, saying, “In Bengal, you cannot even raise slogans of ‘Jai Shri Ram.’ Even before Durga Puja, unrest begins.”
Highlighting actions taken against crime and illegal assets in Uttar Pradesh, he commented, “Mafia properties have been seized and converted into houses for the poor. This is possible only under a double-engine government,” adding these measures aim to strengthen governance and welfare delivery for the underprivileged.
Adityanath referred to West Bengal’s historical and cultural importance, noting its role in India’s freedom struggle and intellectual heritage. He said, “Bengal is the cultural capital of India. This land is the land of Swami Vivekananda. Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay also belonged to this land. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, who said, ‘Give me blood, and I will give you freedom,’ also came from here. For India’s freedom, Khudiram Bose went to the gallows.”
He remarked on Bengal’s past economic significance, stating, “Bengal was once the growth engine of India’s economy.”
Targeting opposition conduct in Parliament, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister accused parties of political obstruction, saying, “You must have seen the scene in Parliament yesterday where Congress and the Left did not allow it to pass. The TMC government created obstacles in giving rights to half the population.”
In what he called a decisive moment, Adityanath urged voters to reject violence: “This is your last opportunity… those who create riots will be punished. Tell TMC goons to understand this after May 4,” while also stating, “We have provided houses to 6.5 million poor people.”
The West Bengal Assembly elections will be held in two phases on April 23 and 29, with results declared on May 4. In the 2021 contest, the TMC won 213 seats, while the BJP increased its tally from a minor player to 77 seats; the Congress and Left parties did not secure any seats. This sets the stage for a high-stakes political contest.