Modi, Mamata's claim, counterclaim over brisk polling

PTI, April 23, 2026, Mathurapur/ Kolkata:  Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that May 4, when votes will be counted, would mark the "expiry" of the "TMC's 15-year-old syndicate system and maha jungleraj" in West Bengal.

Addressing a gathering at the South 24 Parganas district's Kakdwip stadium under the Mathurapur Assembly constituency, he claimed that the massive poll turnout in the state indicated that the TMC's regime of 'bhoy' (fear) was "surely getting defeated" by the 'bharosa' (trust) the BJP has promised.

"There's not one sector in Bengal where work gets done without bribes, where TMC syndicates and their middlemen don't take cut money. That 15-year-old syndicate system and the 'maha jungle raj' of TMC have reached their expiry date, which is May 4," the Prime Minister said.

Holding the Mamata Banerjee dispensation responsible for making "false promises and betraying people", the Prime Minister listed out a set of "broken promises" made by the state's ruling party.

"Construction of a bridge to connect the mainland with the Sagar Island, where the Gangasagar Mela is held, is yet to take off, and people still have to rely on ferries. Similarly, the Ghatal Master Plan to curb floods is a non-starter, and the district-based food parks and projects to tackle river bank erosion are yet to see the light of the day," Modi said.

The Prime Minister alleged that the TMC "not only stops the implementation of central projects, it also gobbles up the Centre's money meant for development projects". "This can only be stopped once you have a BJP CM in the state," he added.

However, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday asserted that polling in the first phase of the Assembly polls indicates the TMC is already in a position to win.

Mamata, also the Trinamool Congress supremo, said at a rally in the Bow Bazar area of Kolkata that she will conquer Delhi taking along all opposition parties, after winning the election.

"From my understanding of people's mind, we are already in a position to win given the polling held so far today," she said. "I am not interested in any post, I don't want the chair. I only want the end of BJP government in Delhi," she added.

The CM, however, asserted that people voted in good numbers to protest the deletion of names in the SIR exercise, claiming that her efforts led to inclusion of 32 lakh names in the voter list.

"On the day of the polls, you (PM) are saying you will win; can you say this," Mamata said, adding: "How can the BJP be so naive."

Responding to Modi's remarks that the BJP's Bengal unit would hold victory celebrations on May 4 after the counting of votes gets over, and the party would distribute among people not just sweets, but also 'jhalmuri', the CM said: "I will send 'bhelpuri' (popular street food) to you, it is available in Delhi."

The TMC countered Prime Minister Modi's assertion that the high voter turnout in the first phase of the Assembly polls indicates an "overwhelming mandate for change", claiming that it instead reflects strong backing for the Chief Minister and her government's development agenda.

Responding to Modi's remarks, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said the surge in polling percentage has "decisively gone in favour of the ruling party" and signals a clear rejection of the BJP.

"The BJP is trying to misread the massive turnout. This is not a vote for change, but a resounding endorsement of Banerjee's governance. The people of Bengal have broken the BJP's backbone in the very first phase," Ghosh said at a press conference.

Projecting a strong performance, he claimed the TMC is set to win "a minimum of 125 seats, which may go up to 132-134" out of the 152 constituencies that went to polls in the first phase.

Ghosh argued that higher turnout would translate into more seats for the TMC, rejecting the opposition's narrative of anti-incumbency.

"The more the voting percentage rises, the more seats TMC will gain. The BJP's morale has collapsed, and that is why they are spinning this false narrative of change," he alleged.