KOLKATA: In a powerful display of support for BJP’s candidate, senior leader Smriti Irani led a massive roadshow through the streets of Kolkata on Thursday, drawing thousands, especially women, who turned out in droves. Waving flags and chanting slogans, the crowd echoed Irani’s resounding message: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s promise that a BJP government in Bengal will deliver ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, and Sabka Hisaab’ – accountability for those who have plundered the state.
Greeting supporters with folded hands, the former Union Minister highlighted the unique stakes in Bengal’s elections. ‘Every election matters for BJP, but Bengal’s is extraordinary,’ she told reporters. ‘Women here are crying out for justice.’ She pointed to the poignant candidacy of the mother of a victim from the RG Kar Medical College incident, who has filed nomination despite losing her daughter and facing TMC goons’ insults. ‘This mother’s courage in democracy is heartbreakingly challenged,’ Irani said.
Reiterating PM Modi’s pledge, Irani stressed that BJP’s victory would mean development for all and reckoning for the corrupt. She praised Modi’s commitment to women’s empowerment, citing the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam that reserves seats for women in legislatures. ‘Congress and UPA never empowered women politically; Modi government is transforming that,’ she accused, urging opposition support for the bill.
Irani didn’t hold back on TMC, slamming them for shielding infiltrators while BJP safeguards India’s borders. ‘Bengal knows BJP protects citizens; TMC patronizes intruders,’ she declared, noting the Centre’s firm stance against illegal immigration.
PM Modi had earlier rallied crowds with a similar vow: Schemes with ‘PM’ in their name are blocked by TMC from reaching Bengalis. ‘We’ve heard Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas – now for Bengal, add Sabka Hisaab for the looters.’ As elections heat up, Irani’s roadshow signals BJP’s aggressive push to flip the state.