In the run-up to the all-important Bengal assembly elections, Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday kickstarted his poll campaign by targeting both the Trinamool Congress and the BJP, accusing them of jointly undermining industry at the state and national levels. Beginning his tour in Raiganj in Uttar Dinajpur, Gandhi is scheduled to address rallies across Malda and Murshidabad as part of the Congress’s early push in the state.
Framing his pitch around economic decline, Gandhi told the audience that Bengal was facing a “double loss” due to the actions of both the state and central governments. “You will say that here, it is Mamataji who has shut down small and medium industries. In West Bengal, you are facing a double loss,” he said. “In West Bengal, Mamataji has destroyed your industry. At the national level, Narendra Modi is working relentlessly to do the same,” he added.
The senior Congress leader went on to accuse the BJP of systematically weakening democratic institutions and undermining the Constitution. “They cannot attack the Constitution directly in the open. But whenever they get the opportunity, they undermine it. They place their own people in institutions, steal votes, and attempt to destroy democracy,” he alleged.
Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gandhi also claimed there was an “unhealthy nexus” between the government and business man Gautam Adani. “Narendra Modi has introduced a new political system, concentrating the party’s entire finances in one place, with the Adani Group,” he said. “He has linked the BJP with the Adani Group. The BJP works for Adani, and Adani, in turn, provides money and support. This is not merely an Adani enterprise; it should be called ‘Modani’. It is half Adani, half Modi,” he added.
Raking up his “Vote Chori” charges against BJP, he further alleged that the saffron relied on electoral manipulation rather than “genuine public support.” “They are attempting to steal votes in West Bengal. They have done so in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Haryana. They do not win elections fairly, they win by diverting and stealing votes from the Congress and other opposition parties,” he said.
At the same time, Gandhi criticised the ruling Trinamool Congress, accusing it of indirectly enabling the BJP’s rise in the state. “Who is giving the BJP space in West Bengal? It is the Trinamool Congress,” he said.
The Leader of Opposition also accused the Centre of withholding funds from the state, while alleging that the state government had failed to adequately defend Bengal’s interests. “The BJP has not given West Bengal its due funds, ₹2 lakh crore has not been released. Funds for the 100-day work scheme have been cut. The Union Budget has offered nothing for the state,” he claimed. “After that, through exercises like the SIR, they are attacking democracy. But the Trinamool is also busy with its own priorities. They are not working for the state either,” he added.
Congress leaders stated that choice of Uttar Dinajpur, Malda and Murshidabad, districts where the party once enjoyed strong support, reflects a strategy to rebuild its base in key pockets. Although the Congress has lost ground in these Muslim-majority districts over the years, it retains residual support that could prove significant in a closely fought election.
After drawing a blank in the 2021 Assembly polls, the party is aiming for a revival in West Bengal, with Rahul Gandhi expected to return for further campaigning in parts of North Bengal and Purulia. Meanwhile, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is also likely to campaign in the state in the coming days, signalling a renewed effort by the Congress to regain political relevance ahead of the Assembly elections.
