As the battle for Bengal shifts to its southern districts, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sharpened his attack on the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and its supremo Mamata Banerjee.

The attacks are no longer restricted to traditional poll planks such as Citizenship Amendment Bill, National Register of Citizens (NRC) or surgical strikes. The focus is also on issues relating to a particular district or area of the rally, before they are linked to broader ones.

Issues such as Saradha scam and TMC’s alleged involvement in it, allegations of extortion by local TMC leaders and political violence have featured prominently in the Prime Minister’s speeches.

‘Mamata factor’

South Bengal districts, which comprise 30-32 Lok Sabha seats, is a TMC stronghold. The ‘Mamata factor’ runs large in these seats. Despite the organisation that the BJP has managed to build up here, it is an advantage for Trinamool.

In contrast, the BJP had a stronger presence in North Bengal districts, that has around 10-12 seats. The BJP is expecting a good show in seats such as Cooch Behar, Darjeeling, Balurghat, Alipurduar, Maldah North and Raiganj banking on its own organisational strengths, Hindu vote consolidation in certain areas and factional feud within the TMC.

“South Bengal is Mamata Banerjee’s turf. Naturally, then the Prime Minister brings up local issues before he can talk about national ones,” a political analyst said.

Over the last two days, the Prime Minister addressed three rallies covering seven seats across the four districts — Nadia, Purbo Bardhaman, Paschim Bardhaman and Birbhum.

The seven seats — Ranaghat, Krishnanagar, Asansol, Burdwan-Durgapur, Purba Burdwan, Bolpur and Birbhum, and Berhampore — will go to polls in the fourth phase on April 29.

Birbhum and Ranaghat rallies

For instance, in his rally at Bolpur (in Birbhum district) on Wednesday, the Prime Minister chose to respond to Banerjee’s criticism about his foreign trips. He brought up the issue of rescue of Judith D’Souza, a Bengal resident, who was kidnapped from Kabul, and highlighted the improved diplomatic relations that India enjoys globally.

“Eight hundred Indian prisoners were released by Saudi Arabia the very day after I spoke to their prince,” Modi said at the rally, as he attempted to harness the minority population by pointing out that the Prime Minister had personally asked for more people to be taken for the Haj. Bolpur is said to have a sizeable minority population. In Birbhum, the return of local strongman Dudh Kumar Mondal to BJP has bolstered the party’s organisational strength. Factional feud within the TMC is also an added advantage. The main fight is between Mondal and two-time Trinamool MP Satabdi Roy.

Later in the day, at a rally in Ranaghat (in Nadia district), the Prime Minister spoke about resolving issues of the Matua community. “The NRC and the Citizenship Amendment Bill will help clear some of their long-standing issues,” he said.

The Matuas are an influential Hindu refugee sect (from Bangladesh) that holds substantial sway over the voters in the India-Bangladesh border region across seats in Ranaghat and Bongaon.

Burdwan gambit

In Purba Burdwan seat, the Trinamool Congress has a distinct advantage. For the Burdwan Durgapur one, the delay in announcing the BJP candidate, SS Ahluwalia, has definitely put the BJP on the back-foot. Naturally, the TMC is eyeing to retain the seat.

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