When Modi dared Mamata on her own turf
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Krishak Kalyan Samabesh to highlight his government's first-ever gift — massive increase in minimum support price (MSP) — for the farmers turned out to be a prelude to the big electoral battle scheduled for 2019.
Addressing a huge crowd at the Midnapore College Ground, Modi reminded the people of Bengal that it was time for them to do a Tripura and overthrow the Trinamool Congress, which for its "love of being in power is overruling court orders, the Constitution, electoral processes, democracy, people's sentiments and their well-being".
"In the name of Ma, Mati, Manush, they (Trinamool Congress) are running syndicates that are exploiting farmers, killing those in the Opposition and torturing the poor. Here nothing — be it construction of hospitals, roads, or schools gets done without paying up the syndicates. From chit fund to potato bonds, from where a farmer will sell his produce and at what price to college admissions, every activity is controlled by syndicates," he said amid loud cheers.
Syndicate, a term loosely applied to groups of unemployed partymen, engaged in extortion and intimidation of various kinds and force supplying inferior quality building material to construction sites at rates dictated by them, is a menace troubling Bengalis, adversely impacting industry, business, trade and even daily life.
By referring to syndicates as "unethical", illegal and "unconstitutional" and bringing up the association of the ruling party, Modi managed to touch a raw nerve — the excesses of the syndicates and people's suffering in day-to-day life.
Even though chief minister Mamata Banerjee had warned against the syndicate raj and cautioned her party leaders to keep off from such high-handed activities, no positive results were forthcoming. This year admission to colleges also witnessed underhand dealings and sale of college seats in lieu of money.
Modi blasted the Mamata Banerjee government over corruption and failure to control the situation.
With BJP targeting 22 Lok Sabha seats out of 42 in 2019, Modi doesn't want to leave anything to chance.
He began his speech in Bangla, addressing the crowd as "bandhugon", the Bengali equivalent of mitron. He then deliberately switched over to the World Cup football finals and asked the audience if they watched it, knowing the love Bengalis feel for the sport. He established a connect with the crowd, peppering his speech with Bangla words here and there.
His speech was full of praises for the historic ground of Midnapore, which gave birth to great personalities like Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar and freedom fighters such as Khudiram Bose and Matangini Hazra. Drawing frequent references to how Bengal played a significant role in the freedom struggle, Narendra Modi drew repeated parallels to the brave and courageous fight the people of Midnapore put up during the panchayat polls.
"The way you have helped the BJP win here despite terror, violence and murder of democracy, I salute you, the brave sons of Bengal," he said.
The BJP won 42 per cent seats in Jhargram district in the Panchayat polls held in May 2018. The saffron party is eyeing Jhargram, Midnapore and Ghatal in West Midnapore as possible seats in 2019.
Modi's speech also focused on farmers and Adivasis and how they were being further marginalised by the Trinamool Congress government.
The idea was to stoke the Adivasi sentiments in the area. The backward areas of Bengal in recent times have seen an emergence of the Adivasis, who are not ready to go with the party in power. Cashing in on their grievances, the BJP is trying to prepare the grounds for its emergence.
Keeping that in mind, Modi extended his gratitude to the "sons of the soil", the lakhs of people, who patiently sat through his speech with amazing discipline, despite a portion of the pandal having caved in and falling on the heads of people.
More than 30 people were injured in the accident.
While the injured were being taken to hospital in ambulances, Modi appreciated the discipline maintained by the crowd.
"The pandal had crumbled yet people did not move. When bad weather, rain and nature couldn't stir up the people on the ground, it is time Didi sees the writing on the wall, the spirit and courage of the people," he said.
Modi later visited the injured in hospital.