Launching the Trinamool Congress’s election manifesto for the 2026 West Bengal Assembly polls today, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee made it clear that her vision extends far beyond the borders of the state. While addressing the media at her Kalighat residence, she delivered a high-octane political message: “The election in Bengal will happen and we will win, but my primary goal is to rescue the country from the hands of Narendra Modi.”

This statement reframes the 2026 state election as a broader ideological struggle against the BJP-led central government. Mamata accused the Centre of imposing an “undeclared President’s Rule” in West Bengal through the arbitrary transfer of officials by the Election Commission. She argued that the BJP’s focus is on destabilizing strong regional states to maintain centralized control. By positioning the Bengal election as a fight to “save the country,” she is effectively rallying her supporters for a national cause.

The Chief Minister also criticized the central government’s economic policies, particularly the privatization of PSUs like Railways and LIC. She asserted that the 2026 verdict in Bengal would be the first step towards a change in the central leadership in 2029. Mamata’s rhetoric suggests that for the TMC, this election is not just about defending their fortress in Bengal, but about establishing a roadmap to challenge the Modi government on the national stage. As the campaign intensifies, the narrative of “Saving the Soul of India” is set to become the TMC’s primary rallying cry.