New Delhi, April 11 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party has launched an ambitious campaign in West Bengal, setting the stage for the first phase of the 2026 Assembly elections with more than 500 rallies and sabhas (public meetings).​

The party is deploying its most prominent central leaders alongside state figures in what is being described as one of the most aggressive election drives in recent years.​

PM Modi is scheduled to address 11 rallies, while Union Home Minister Amit Shah will lead 30. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will hold six, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari will hold two, and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will hold eleven. Smriti Irani is expected to conduct 13 rallies, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha 9, and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma 8.​

Adding a touch of celebrity power, actor Kangana Ranaut will participate in seven rallies, while Hema Malini is also listed among the campaigners.​

The BJP’s former national president JP Nadda, along with leaders such as Mohan Majhi, Rekha Gupta, Babul Lal Marandi, and Arjun Munda, will also be part of the campaign trail.​

On the state front, BJP Bengal president Samik Bhattacharya will lead with twenty-four rallies, while superstar Mithun Chakraborty and MP Soumendu Adhikari will each address twenty-three.​

This combination of national heavyweights and local icons is designed to maximise outreach and energise the party’s base across constituencies.​

Beyond the rallies, the BJP has planned a daily press conference beginning April 15, coinciding with Poila Baisakh, the Bengali New Year. Each day, the party will highlight one specific point from its manifesto, ensuring that its campaign narrative remains sharp and consistent.​

The focus is expected to be on welfare, cultural identity, and development, with leaders emphasising agricultural reforms, women’s empowerment, and infrastructure growth.​

The sheer scale of the campaign underscores the BJP’s determination to challenge Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress in one of India’s most politically charged battlegrounds.​

With over 500 rallies, daily press briefings, and a star-studded line-up of leaders and celebrities, the BJP is mounting a whirlwind tour across West Bengal, signalling that the contest ahead will be intense and closely fought.​

–IANS

sktr/dan