NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a rally virtually in West Bengal’s Nadia after failing to reach the rally site due to dense fog. His helicopter had to return to Kolkata airport after failing to land at the Taherpur helipad due to low visibility Saturday afternoon. It hovered over the helipad for some time and took a U-turn, officials said.
He also apologised to those who attended the rally in Taherpur for not being able to address them in person.
At the rally, the prime minister launched an attack on the ruling Trinamool, accusing the Mamata Banerjee-led party of shielding illegal immigrants, in what pans out to be a major issue during the upcoming assembly elections.
The Trinamool backs the infiltrators, and that’s why they are opposing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls, he thundered, appealing to the people to give an opportunity to a double-engine government in the state.
Modi said TMC’s misgovernance has stalled West Bengal’s progress and the people are now looking at the BJP with the renewed hopes.
“Let Trinamool oppose me and BJP as much as it wants, but Bengal’s progress should not be stopped,” he said, alleging that corruption, nepotism, and appeasement by the ruling dispensation have prevented developmental works in the state.
He branded the situation in the state as “maha jungle raj”, taking a cue from his campaign offensive in Bihar.
The PM also condoled the deaths of some BJP workers who lost their lives in an accident on their way to the rally.
PM Modi reached Kolkata Saturday morning for the Taherpur rally in Nadia district. He was to take a chopper to Taherpur and launch some highway projects in the state. The BJP rally, titled Parivartan Sankalp Sabha, was next. But the travel plan was dropped in view of bad weather, and the PM addressed the rally virtually.
