The final hours of campaigning for the first phase of West Bengal's 2026 Assembly elections heated up on Tuesday with party leaders exchanging taunts. BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah targeted TMC chief Mamata Banerjee with 'Ei Didi' remarks over a proposed Babri-like mosque. TMC's Abhishek Banerjee hit back, calling Shah a 'gunda'.
The final hours of campaigning for the first phase of West Bengal's 2026 Assembly elections, covering 152 constituencies voting on April 23, heated up on Tuesday with leaders resorting to name-calling.
In Chandipur, Union Home Minister Amit Shah targeted TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee over former MLA Humayun Kabir's plan for a Babri-like mosque in Murshidabad, saying, “Mamata Didi ko dekho, apne chele Humayun Kabir se Bengal mein Babri Masjid banana chahti hai. Ei Didi, aankh khol, kaan khol kar sunlo. Ye Bengal Bharat mein hai. Koi Kabir Fabir yahan par Babri Masjid nahin banane denge hum.” He also accused Banerjee of shielding “infiltrators”.
TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee responded on X, accusing Shah of reducing a respected leader to a taunt, recalling PM Narendra Modi's “Didi O Didi” remark. He called Shah a “gunda” and challenged him to stay in Bengal after May 4. Shah addressed rallies in Kurseong, Kulti, Salboni, and Chandipur, promising to resolve Gorkha issues within six months and vowing action on women's safety cases like RG Kar Hospital.
In Haldia, Mamata Banerjee slammed BJP's Suvendu Adhikari over cut money in Haldia and called BJP's cash dole forms illegal. In Barjora, Abhishek accused BJP of humiliating Bengalis.
