PM Modi Takes Boat Ride on Hooghly River During West Bengal Election Campaign

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday shared pictures of himself spending time on the banks of the Hooghly river in Kolkata and taking a boat ride. In the visuals shared by the Prime Minister, he is seen seated on a wooden boat with a camera in hand, with the Vidyasagar Setu visible in the background.

"For every Bengali, the Ganga occupies a very special place. One can say that the Ganga flows through the soul of Bengal. Her divine waters carry the timeless spirit of an entire civilisation. This morning in Kolkata, I spent some time on the banks of the Hooghly river, an opportunity to express gratitude to Maa Ganga," PM Modi said in a post on X.

"Also had the opportunity to meet boatmen, whose hardworking nature is admirable and morning walkers. On the Hooghly, reiterated our commitment to work towards the development of West Bengal and the prosperity of the great Bengali people," he added.

The visit comes amid ongoing political activity in the state. On Thursday, PM Modi addressed a rally in Krishnanagar ahead of the next phase of the assembly elections. He also visited Belur Math, where he offered prayers.

Polling for the assembly elections concluded at 6 pm on Thursday. West Bengal recorded a voter turnout of 91.91% in Phase I, higher than Tamil Nadu's 84.80%, according to data from the Election Commission of India.

The BJP is aiming to unseat the ruling Trinamool Congress in Bengal. Calling the high turnout an "overwhelming mandate for change," PM Modi said May 4, the counting day, would mark the "expiry" of the TMC's "15-year-old syndicate system and maha jungle raj" in the state.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee, however, said the polling trends so far indicate the TMC is "already in a position to win," with the party projecting victory in 125–134 of the 152 constituencies. Counting of votes will take place on May 4.