Kolkata, 03 January (H.S.) :

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit West Bengal at the very start of the year, with the Bharatiya Janata Party gearing up to intensify its campaign for the 2026 Assembly elections. According to sources, the Prime Minister is likely to address two major public rallies in the state later this month, one each in North Bengal and South Bengal.

Preparations for the visit have already begun. The proposed tour is being seen as part of the BJP’s strategy to sharpen its political pitch in Bengal from the beginning of the election year, even as the ruling Trinamool Congress has also stepped up its outreach efforts across the state.

Party sources said the tentative plan is for January 17 and January 18, with Prime Minister Modi expected to address a public meeting in Malda in North Bengal on January 17, followed by another rally in Howrah in South Bengal on January 18. The rallies are likely to be held under the banner of the BJP’s “Paribartan Sankalp” programme. However, senior BJP leaders in the state have so far refrained from confirming the venues or sharing details of the Prime Minister’s itinerary. District-level leaders in Malda and Howrah have also not made any official statements.

Political observers believe the Prime Minister’s Bengal visit is aimed at giving an early momentum to the BJP’s high-voltage campaign ahead of the 2026 polls. While the ruling Trinamool Congress has already launched its month-long “Abar Jitbe Bangla” programme across districts under the leadership of its national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, the BJP is preparing to counter it with an aggressive outreach drive starting at the top level.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh