Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, 4 May declared that a new era of development and freedom from fear has begun in West Bengal, announcing from the BJP headquarters in New Delhi that "Poribartan hoi gaiche" — Bengali for "Change has come about" — as his personal guarantee to the state's residents. The declaration came at a victory rally following the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) performance in the recently concluded assembly elections.

Modi's Guarantee to Bengal

Addressing jubilant party workers, Modi said, "Today, the sun has risen in the holy land of Bengal." He dedicated the victory to the people of West Bengal and, specifically, to the families of women party workers who, he alleged, had faced atrocities and tyranny in the state. "The new dawn in Bengal is one which has been the dream of many generations," he said, adding that BJP workers had uprooted what he described as a politics of fear and violence.

Modi assured all Bengal residents — "without any discrimination" — that the BJP would work day and night for them, framing the victory as the beginning of a journey of "Vishwas aur Vikas" (Trust and Development).

Key Policy Announcements

Modi announced that the very first Cabinet meeting of the new government would ensure the Ayushman Bharat health scheme is approved for West Bengal — a scheme the state had previously not adopted. He also promised strict action against infiltrators and pledged economic growth measures aimed at curbing migration from the state.

Invoking BJP founder Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, Modi said his soul must be relishing the victory, noting that Mukherjee had fought a historic battle to retain Bengal as part of India. This framing positions the BJP's electoral win as a fulfilment of an ideological legacy stretching back decades.

Wins Beyond Bengal

Modi also highlighted the BJP's broader electoral momentum. He noted a hat-trick victory in Assam over the past five years and the return of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in Puducherry. He added that the BJP now holds power in 20 states, and pointed to historic wins in local body elections in Rajasthan and Gujarat as further evidence of the party's governance record.

"BJP has become synonymous with good governance and delivery of promises. This is the reason why the BJP is in power in 20 states," he said, reiterating the slogan "Nagrik Devo Bhava" (the citizen is God).

Call for Peace and Unity

Modi credited the Election Commission of India (ECI) for conducting what he described as a violence-free election in which, notably, not a single life was lost. "Instead of gunshots, the public's voice resonated in Bengal. Instead of fear, democracy has triumphed in the state," he said.

He urged all political parties in Bengal to abandon violent practices, saying the focus after the BJP's victory should be on "badlav" (change/reform) rather than "badla" (revenge). He called on parties to rise above petty politics and work collectively for the state's development. All eyes are now on how quickly the new government moves to implement Ayushman Bharat and the other development pledges Modi made from the BJP's national headquarters.