BJP’s ‘parivartan’ call is to change Bengal’s demography: Abhishek

Siliguri: Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee called for keeping the BJP’s tally below 50 in the 2026 Assembly polls, alleging the saffron party was altering Bengal’s demographics by removing local voters from the rolls and adding “outsiders through the back door”.

Addressing back-to-back campaign meetings at Balurghat, South Dinajpur and Karandighi, North Dinajpur on Tuesday, he assured that if the TMC wins these polls, the long-standing demand to upgrade Balurghat Hospital to a medical college will be fulfilled.

Addressing a mammoth gathering at the Town Club Ground at Balurghat, he stated: “The BJP is trying to alter Bengal’s demography. If they come to power, they will undermine our language and culture, dictate what we eat, wear, and even whom we associate with—this is their version of ‘parivartan’ (change).”

Banerjee said voters must choose between a government that gives and one that takes away. “Under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, our government has launched numerous welfare schemes, while the BJP-led Union government has deprived Bengal of the 100-day work scheme, housing projects, and rural roads. They have taken everything from you. If anyone can show that they contributed even a single rupee to these projects in the past two years, I will quit politics,” he challenged.

He said upgrading Balurghat Hospital to a medical college has long been a demand of South Dinajpur. “If we come to power, this will be a priority. I always keep my promises. For development to continue, you must walk with me—if I take two steps, you take two steps alongside me,” Banerjee added.

He noted that both Dinajpur districts had long demanded cold storages. “The last state budget allocated funds for 50 cold storages. If we come to power, we will build two large cold storages in North Dinajpur and two in South Dinajpur,” Banerjee assured.

“Ask Sukanta Majumdar, the MP from Balurghat and former BJP Bengal president, for his report card, and I will show ours. There has been a long-standing demand for a Central University and National Highway expansion here, yet he hasn’t addressed a single one. He hasn’t raised any issue for Balurghat in the Lok Sabha. They are mere slaves of Delhi—without its permission, they cannot move an inch in Bengal,”

Banerjee remarked.

At a meeting at Kisan Mandi Ground in Karandighi, North Dinajpur, he assured that the demand for a state general hospital and women’s college would be given priority.