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Cowardly, betrayed women: Mamata vs Modi takes over Bengal ahead of state polls
As West Bengal braces for the state assembly elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee exchanged sharp criticisms. Banerjee labeled Modi's national address cowardly and hypocritical and challenged him to speak from Parliament, while Modi accused the opposition of blocking a women’s reservation bill and attacked governance in the state. The article also notes the election schedule: two-phase polling on April 23 and 29, with counting on May 4.
Why It Matters
The exchanges highlight the high-stakes politicking in West Bengal ahead of the elections, including debates on women's representation, delimitation, and governance.
Timeline
4 Events
Election schedule announced: two-phase Bengal polls with counting on May 4
April 19, 2026
The article notes that West Bengal polls will be held in two phases on April 23 and April 29, with counting scheduled for May 4.
Modi's Purulia rally targets TMC governance and unemployment
April 19, 2026
At a rally in Purulia, Modi criticized the TMC government's rule, describing it as 'maha jungle raj' and alleging that tribal districts lag in roads, electricity, water, schools and hospitals, with tribal land allegedly under the control of a syndicate. He accused TMC ministers of corruption in teacher recruitment, claimed unemployment in West Bengal is high, and expressed confidence that the BJP will form a government with a massive majority.
Banerjee's X post opposing delimitation and defending women's representation
April 18, 2026
In a lengthy post on X, Banerjee argued that the opposition's issue was with the delimitation exercise rather than the women's quota bill, accusing the Modi government of plotting to redraw political contours to hand greater representation to BJP-ruled states. She described this as an assault on federal democracy and questioned the timing of the bill, asking why it was rushed three years after being passed in 2023 and why it was paired with delimitation, while noting her party's track record on women’s representation.
Banerjee calls Modi's national address cowardly and hypocritical
April 18, 2026
Banerjee reacted to Modi's address to the nation on Saturday, calling it 'deeply unfortunate' for allegedly misleading the nation and challenging Modi to address Parliament next time. She described the address as 'cowardly, hypocritical and fork-tongued' and said her party has long championed higher representation for women.