‘Maha jungleraj’ Vs ‘illegal campaign’: Modi, Mamata Trade Barbs Ahead Of Bengal Polls

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• She questioned the delay in implementing women’s reservation law.

A sharp political slugfest has erupted in West Bengal ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, with PM Narendra Modi and CM Mamata Banerjee trading barbs over governance, tribal rights and alleged misuse of state machinery. While PM Modi accused the ruling Trinamool Congress of fostering “appeasement politics” and neglecting tribal regions, Banerjee hit back, alleging that the Prime Minister violated the Model Code of Conduct by using official platforms for political campaigning.

PM Modi Targets TMC

Addressing a rally in Purulia, PM intensified the BJP’s campaign pitch in tribal-dominated Junglemahal, accusing the TMC government of presiding over “Maha jungleraj”. He alleged that infiltration was altering Bengal’s cultural fabric and claimed tribal identity, language and development had been sidelined.

The Prime Minister said districts such as Purulia, Bankura and Jhargram remained deprived of basic amenities, while corruption and “cut money” practices had paralysed governance. He also accused the TMC of land grabbing and linked corruption to rising unemployment, citing the school recruitment scam as evidence of systemic failure.

Modi further alleged that the TMC opposed women’s reservation fearing empowered female legislators would challenge the party. Pitching the BJP as the alternative, he urged voters to back a “double-engine” government, asserting that development would accelerate if the party ruled both Centre and state.

Mamata Accuses PM Of MCC Violation

Responding swiftly, Banerjee accused Modi of misusing government machinery for political gain, particularly over his recent address on the women’s reservation issue. Speaking at a rally in Hooghly’s Tarakeswar, she said the TMC would approach the Election Commission over the alleged violation of the Model Code of Conduct.

Banerjee questioned the Centre’s delay in implementing the women’s reservation law passed in 2023, arguing that repeated legislative attempts were unnecessary. She also criticised the BJP for tabling a fresh bill without adequate numbers, calling it politically motivated.

Taking a direct swipe at the Prime Minister, she said he must answer to the people for “illegal campaigning”, and claimed that the BJP’s “downfall has begun” as political tensions sharpen across the state.

Bengal Polls Timeline

The West Bengal Assembly elections will be held in two phases -April 23 and April 29, with the counting of votes scheduled for May 4.