The weekend ahead of the second phase of West Bengal Assembly elections saw a flurry of activity, with national leaders reaching out to voters across various constituencies. Of the 142 seats going to polls in this phase, 11 are urban constituencies that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is targeting to wrest from the Trinamool Congress (TMC). On Saturday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, JP Nadda, and Nitin Nabin held two public meetings and two roadshows, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi will public meetings and roadshows on Sunday.
Amit Shah slammed CM Mamata Banerjee for using rebel MLA Humayun Kabir to build Babri Masjid in Murshidabad district. "Now, Mamata didi wants to construct a Babri Masjid with her aide Humayun Kabir. Didi, remember that till one BJP worker is alive in Bengal, we will not allow construction of Babri Masjid here .”
The BJP has been emphasising issues such as minority appeasement, women’s safety, corruption, and unemployment, aiming to position itself as an alternative to the TMC in the minds of urban voters. The roadshows in Howrah and Ranikuthi saw large crowds lining the streets to watch Amit Shah woo the public with saffron might.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attacked both the TMC and BJP in Kolkata. “Mamata paved the way for BJP in Bengal. If Mamata had worked properly for Bengal, had not indulged in corruption, had the RG Kar case had not happened, they (BJP) would not have been here," Gandhi said at a public meeting at Shahid Minar.
The Congress leader also said he was questioned for 55 hours for five consecutive days by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and for how many hours Mamata has been interrogated? “This is because she does not fight the BJP directly,” added Gandhi.
The Congress hopes to secure 2-3 seats in Murshidabad and Malda districts with star candidates Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Mausam Noor. Winning urban constituencies remains a significant challenge for the party, which is contesting alone in 294 seats in the state for the first time in three decades.
The TMC faces intense pressure to counter BJP’s high-profile campaign in Kolkata and maintain a strong local connection. Mamata and Abhishek Banerjee have held extensive rallies across the state, with the TMC supremo organising three public meetings and two roadshows in her Bhabanipur constituency, and her nephew too had three public meetings and two road shows. The TMC aims to reinforce the perception that it protects the state from external forces.
Mamata also targeted the Prime Minister during her public meetings. “Know this, your slyness has been caught. When results are out on May 4, you will burn and flare up like luchi (puri),” she said. She also criticized his recent boat ride in the Ganga. “He went to roam around the Ganga. He loves to click pictures. He has even made a cinema,” she remarked, suggesting he do the same in the Yamuna.
Many urban voters may have already made up their minds, but the presence of key leaders in various constituencies is aimed at influencing voter perception ahead of the polls. This intense contest makes the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections a high-stakes battle of perception vs reality.
