AGENCIES | 8 June 2025 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit West Bengal later this month for two key engagements — one administrative and the other political — with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) proposing that a political rally be held in Nandigram, East Midnapore, potentially on June 20.
According to a BJP state committee member, while the Prime Minister last addressed a political rally in Alipurduar, North Bengal, on May 29, the party is now keen that his next rally take place in South Bengal, specifically in Nandigram — the constituency represented by Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly. Party leaders suggest that the political programme may be strategically aligned with an official event, possibly related to the Kolkata Metro Green Line.
The BJP’s West Bengal unit has reportedly submitted a proposed schedule to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), and confirmation is awaited. The state leadership is particularly pushing for June 20 as the date for both the rally and the official programme, due to the historical significance the party attaches to that day. On June 20, 1947, a vote in the Bengal Provincial Legislative Assembly led to the formal decision to create the state of West Bengal — a date some in the BJP now refer to as the “Foundation Day” of the state.
However, this interpretation remains contested. The Trinamool Congress-led state government, under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has already designated Poila Baishakh — the first day of the Bengali calendar — as ‘Bangla Diwas’ or West Bengal’s Foundation Day. The Chief Minister has rejected June 20 as a suitable date, citing its associations with the partition of Bengal and the trauma of India’s division.
Tensions between the state and central leaderships have continued to escalate, with Prime Minister Modi using his Alipurduar rally on May 29 to criticize the Trinamool Congress government, highlighting what he described as five critical issues confronting the state. Days later, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, during a political meeting at Kolkata’s Netaji Indoor Stadium, alleged that Mamata Banerjee was “pained” by the success of Operation Sindoor — a recent military strike in which the Indian Armed Forces reportedly dismantled several terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Further details on the Prime Minister’s visit are expected once the PMO provides final confirmation of the proposed schedule. This report complies with all applicable guidelines and policies concerning public communications and platform standards.
