BJP Chief Predicts Lotus Bloom in Bengal on May 4

Speaking to reporters, Nabin said that the people of the state would deliver a decisive verdict on May 4, the day of counting.

"She (Mamata Banerjee) will see on May 4th when the lotus blooms. She has built the entire party on hooliganism, and today, she's talking with the same mindset," he said.

Commenting on the appointment of senior economist Dr Ashok Lahiri, who hails from West Bengal, as Vice Chairperson of NITI Aayog, Nabin welcomed the move and said it would benefit the state.

"I'm happy that this time, West Bengal has been given a greater opportunity, and West Bengal has been given the opportunity to lead. It has been given the opportunity to formulate the country's policy. Undoubtedly, good days are ahead for West Bengal," he added.

Earlier, BJP MP and party's star campaigner Manoj Tiwari also launched an attack on the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), claiming that the tenure of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was nearing its end.

Speaking at a rally in Hooghly on Saturday, Tiwari focused on the dual themes of women's empowerment and the health of the poor, positioning the BJP as the only alternative for the state's security and progress.

Addressing a rally in Hooghly on Saturday, Tiwari focused on issues of women's empowerment and healthcare for the poor, positioning the BJP as a viable alternative for governance and development in the state.

"The women of West Bengal need empowerment. The poor need free treatment worth Rs 5 lakh. TMC has sided with the rapists," he told ANI.

He also pitched for a "double-engine" government, referring to having the same party in power at both the Centre and the state, as a solution to accelerate development in West Bengal.

"Now the time for Mamata and TMC is over. The people of Bengal have decided. We will show what true development looks like with the double-engine government," said Manoj Tiwari.

The West Bengal Assembly elections remain on a knife-edge, with the second and final phase of polling scheduled for April 29. As the "Kolkata belt" prepares to vote, this latest incident in Murshidabad underscores the volatile security situation that has characterised the 2026 democratic exercise.

Meanwhile, the polling for Phase I of the Assembly elections concluded at 6 pm on Thursday, with West Bengal recording a significantly higher voter turnout of 91.78 per cent, according to the Election Commission of India.

The high turnout figures underline an active electoral exercise as polling drew to a close amid tight security arrangements across constituencies. The polling for the second phase will be held on April 29, with counting of votes scheduled for May 4.

- ANI