Will Bengal BJP's Push for PM Modi's Public Meetings Shape the 2026 Assembly Elections?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- BJP seeks regular public meetings with PM Modi.
- Focus on major regions in West Bengal.
- Strategic rallies planned for maximum impact.
- Previous rallies highlighted government shortcomings.
- Upcoming elections are critical for BJP's future in Bengal.
Kolkata, Aug 5 (NationPress) As the 2026 Assembly elections approach, the BJP's West Bengal division has urged the party's central leadership to arrange for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hold public gatherings in the state on a regular basis, ideally once a month until December, in order to leverage the advantages of his charisma.
Initially, the BJP has proposed a public address by the Prime Minister at Dum Dum in the North 24 Parganas district of Kolkata this month.
Sources within the Bengal BJP indicated that this suggestion was made during a meeting of senior party officials in West Bengal with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Monday.
The expected date for the Prime Minister's rally at Dum Dum is August 20, pending final approval from the Prime Minister's Office.
The party also has plans for a significant central rally at the Brigade Parade Ground in central Kolkata in January next year, which will also feature the Prime Minister as a speaker, according to BJP sources.
However, those from the West Bengal leadership who participated in the meeting with Union Minister Shah did not officially disclose any specifics.
Samik Bhattacharya, the BJP's state president in West Bengal and a Rajya Sabha member, merely confirmed that organizational issues, crucial for the upcoming West Bengal Assembly election next year, were discussed during the meetings.
Additionally, sources from the state committee revealed that the locations for the Prime Minister's public meetings for the remaining months of the year will be strategically chosen to ensure coverage of both South Bengal and North Bengal. The meetings are set to be arranged at key junctions of two or more states, sources added.
Earlier this year, Prime Minister Modi addressed two public meetings in West Bengal—first in May at Alipurduar in North Bengal and then at the industrial town of Durgapur in South Bengal's West Burdwan district.
During both events, the Prime Minister launched vigorous attacks against the Mamata Banerjee government and the Trinamool Congress, addressing issues such as corruption, crime against women in the state, and unrest in minority-dominated areas.