Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], April 17 : Maharashtra Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Friday expressed confidence in the party's victory in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, saying that the people demand change from the 15-year Trinamool Congress government.
Devendra Fadnavis is currently in West Bengal to campaign for his party in the last week's push ahead of the first phase polls on April 23.
The Maharashtra CM told ANI, "This time, the people of Bengal will only hear the voice of their hearts. Their hearts say that there should be a change in West Bengal. They used to say the same in 2021 as well, but at the time, they had fear. But now Bengal knows 'Dar ke aage jeet hai'. There will be a change, and the BJP will come to power in the state."
Invoking the BJP's anti-illegal immigration poll plank, he said that the BJP government in the state will remove the "anti-national" forces from West Bengal.
"It is a massive issue. The way the Mamata Banerjee government changed the demography of the state by bringing in infiltrators to ensure the government doesn't change is dangerous for the country. The infiltrators come into the country only for their own survival, and have nothing to do with the interests of our country. We have to throw them out. As the BJP come to power in West Bengal, anti-national forces will be thrown out of the country," he said.
Fadnavis hit back at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's "Bangla-birodhi" pitch, terming the BJP an outsider in the state. Recalling the birth of Bharatiya Jana Sangh by Syama Prasad Mookerjee in 1951, the BJP leader said it was wrong to call the party an outsider.
"I would say our party is the real party from Bengal as it was started by Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee, who was the son of Bengal. You can't call us outsiders. All our leaders are pure Bengalis," he said.
Targeting the Mamata government on an economic front, Fadnavis claimed that about 6000 industries and over 100 listed companies have exited West Bengal under the TMC.
He told ANI, "Bengal has a great industrial potential. But there is fear in the state due to the ecosystem prevailing here. With governance and ease of doing business, Bengal will create an identity as an industrial state once again. When the BJP government comes to power here, many employment opportunities will be created. Under Mamata ji's government, over 6000 industries and over 100 listed companies exited West Bengal, and we have to get the state rid of all this."
Polling in West Bengal will be held in two phases on April 23 and April 29, with the results of the Assembly elections scheduled to be announced on May 4.
The state is set to witness a high-voltage contest between the incumbent Trinamool Congress, which is seeking a fourth consecutive term, and the BJP, which is aiming to form the government after a strong showing in the previous elections.