From our Political Correspondent
Kolkata: The sun rose over the misty tea gardens of North Bengal on a crisp April morning in 2026, but the air was thick with more than just the scent of Darjeeling leaves. The West Bengal Assembly elections were heating up, with the first phase polling for 152 seats—including all 54 in the eight districts of North Bengal—set for April 23. Campaigning would end on April 21, and the fate of the state would be decided by May 4. In this charged atmosphere, leaders from major parties descended on the region like monsoon clouds, each promising change, each warning of doom.
In Siliguri, the gateway to the hills, Trinamool Congress supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee led a massive road show that snaked through the bustling streets. Thousands lined Hill Cart Road from Mallaguri to Venus More, waving green flags and chanting “Didi! Didi!” as her open jeep moved slowly, flanked by enthusiastic workers. Mamata, dressed in her signature white sari with a blue border, waved and stopped frequently to greet supporters, accepting garlands and touching the heads of children.
Earlier that day, she had addressed a huge public meeting at Islampur Court Ground in Uttar Dinajpur. Her voice, amplified across the maidan, rang with fiery conviction. “The BJP is depriving lakhs of people of their voting rights in the name of SIR!” she thundered, referring to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. “West Bengal will never accept bulldozer rule! We have worked day and night for the development of North Bengal—new roads, schools, hospitals, and schemes for the poor. The people here know who stands with them. We will return for a fourth consecutive term!”
After the Siliguri road show, Mamata’s convoy headed toward Jalpaiguri. She would hold another road show from Mangal Bari Bazar to Chalsa and address a public meeting in the late evening. Her message was clear: continuity, welfare, and resistance against what she called central interference.
Meanwhile, across North Bengal, Amit Shah, the Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader, was on a whirlwind tour, addressing four public meetings in a single day. In rally after rally, crowds gathered under the blazing sun, many wearing saffron scarves. Shah reminded them of the BJP’s manifesto for the region. “North Bengal has been totally neglected and deprived under the TMC government,” he declared. “We will establish a 500-bedded dedicated cancer hospital, AIIMS, IIM, IIT, a Sports University, and a Tribal University. Tea, transport, and tourism will get the focus they deserve. Double-engine governance with the Centre and the state working together will transform this region!”
His words ignited cheers. Supporters raised slogans of “Jai Shri Ram” and “Modi! Modi!” Shah also hit back at TMC’s alleged “goon raj,” warning that after May 4, accountability would follow. The contrast was stark—development versus dynasty, promise versus performance.
The previous day in Malda, Rahul Gandhi of the Indian National Congress had addressed a spirited public rally. Once a Congress stronghold, Malda was now a triangular contest. Rahul spoke passionately about jobs, farmers’ issues, and the need for a secular, inclusive Bengal. His presence signaled Congress’s attempt to reclaim lost ground in North Bengal, though the party’s influence had waned over the years.
As the campaigns intensified, door-to-door efforts, street corner meetings, and motorcycle rallies filled every corner of the 54 seats. In Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling, Alipurduar, Kalimpong, Uttar and Dakshin Dinajpur, and Malda, voters listened, debated, and weighed their choices. Tea workers worried about their livelihoods, students dreamed of new universities, and families hoped for better healthcare and roads.
The roads of Siliguri, still echoing with the chants from Mamata’s road show, saw rival processions later in the day. Flags of green, saffron, and tricolor fluttered side by side, sometimes brushing against each other in the wind. Tension simmered, but the spirit of democracy pulsed strongly. Local candidates from all parties moved tirelessly, pleading for votes, promising to be the voice of their constituencies.
In a small tea stall near Chalsa, as evening fell, a group of voters discussed the day’s events over steaming cups. “Didi talks of bulldozers, Shah talks of AIIMS,” said an elderly farmer. “Rahul talks of justice. Who will actually deliver?” His companion, a young teacher, smiled. “We decide on April 23. North Bengal has waited long enough. This time, our votes will shape the future.”
As night descended on the hills, the leaders prepared for the final stretch. Mamata’s meeting in Jalpaiguri was drawing crowds, Shah’s words still resonated in the rallies he had addressed, and Rahul’s rally in Malda had left an imprint. The battle for Bengal’s soul, particularly in its northern frontier, had truly heated up. With just days left before the campaign curtain fell, every road show, every slogan, and every promise carried the weight of a region yearning for progress, identity, and a better tomorrow.
