Rallies, road shows in WB felt like pilgrimage; will celebrate oath-taking ceremony of BJP CM: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said he felt like he was on a pilgrimage while addressing rallies and participating in road shows in West Bengal, asserting that divine energy from Goddess Kalis devotees and blessings from the people gave him strength throughout the high-voltage campaign.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said he felt like he was on a pilgrimage while addressing rallies and participating in road shows in West Bengal, asserting that divine energy from Goddess Kali's devotees and blessings from the people gave him strength throughout the high-voltage campaign. In an audio message and open letter to the people of West Bengal on the final day of campaigning for the second and last phase of the state polls, Modi expressed gratitude to the residents and exuded confidence that the BJP would form the next government in the state, saying he would ''celebrate the oath-taking ceremony together with the people''. ''Despite addressing so many rallies amid the intense heat, I did not feel even the slightest fatigue during this election campaign in West Bengal. These rallies, these road shows... I felt as if I was on a pilgrimage,'' he said. ''Whenever I went among the devotees of Maa Kali... Perhaps Maa Kali herself kept filling me with continuous energy,'' the prime minister said. Modi drew a parallel with his spiritual experience before the consecration of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya in January 2024, saying he felt the same divine energy during the West Bengal campaign. ''Before the 'pran pratishtha' of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya, I had observed an 11-day ritual with deep devotion and had undertaken a fast. I feel that during that time, Lord Shri Ram filled me with boundless energy,'' he said. ''In this election too, I experienced the same feeling -- like the one you get while having darshan at a temple. Seeing the people, who are like manifestations of God, infused me with renewed energy,'' he added. Modi said he had the opportunity to participate in the ''festival of West Bengal'' and present the BJP's roadmap for the state's development and a brighter future for its youth to the people. ''Today, canvassing ends. My last rally of this election campaign has also just concluded. Through this letter, I want to express my gratitude to every family member of West Bengal and also share my emotions,'' he said. The prime minister said the affection shown by people across age groups during rallies and road shows was the ''real wealth'' of his life. Reiterating his confidence in the BJP's victory, the prime minister said, ''Serving and securing West Bengal is my responsibility. Turning every challenge before West Bengal into an opportunity is also part of my destiny. I will not back down from this responsibility... And we will all celebrate the oath-taking ceremony of a BJP CM together. This is not just my personal belief. I have felt this confidence in you.'' ''Be it youth, women or the elderly, I received affection and warmth from everyone... I want to say today that your love and blessings are the real wealth of my life,'' he added. Pitching strongly for political change in the state, Modi said West Bengal's youth and women were eager for transformation. ''West Bengal's youth want to move forward. Our daughters of West Bengal want an open sky. They want security,'' he said. ''Every resident of West Bengal, every family, is moving forward with one resolve, and that we must bring change now. The common man is saying: enough is enough. No more fear. Now we need trust. Now we need the BJP,'' Modi said. Referring to the first phase of polling, Modi said it had ''created history'' and urged voters to turn out in large numbers in the next phase on April 29. The first phase of the West Bengal assembly elections recorded a voter turnout of 93.19 per cent, the highest ever in the state. ''Now it is your responsibility to ensure maximum voting on April 29. You have a great opportunity to hoist the flag of victory in this temple of democracy. Together, we will make West Bengal developed -- this is Modi's guarantee,'' he said.