Abhishek Banerjee Promises Municipal Status for Canning, Targets BJP at Rally

Kolkata, April 2026 : Senior All India Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee on Friday made a series of key announcements while addressing a public rally in the Canning West Assembly constituency, promising accelerated development and expanded welfare measures for the region.

Speaking at a gathering near the Canning Sports Complex, Banerjee assured residents that every effort would be made to upgrade Canning into a municipality within six months of the election results being declared. He presented the proposal as part of a broader commitment to strengthen urban infrastructure and governance in the area.

Highlighting the state government’s welfare initiatives, Banerjee said that under the Bengal Housing Scheme, steps would be taken to ensure housing for all economically weaker sections over the next five years. He also announced that all eligible senior citizens in the constituency would be covered under old-age pension schemes, aiming to provide financial security to the elderly population.

Banerjee used the platform to sharply criticise the Bharatiya Janata Party, accusing it of attempting to mislead voters by raising issues such as the Rohingya crisis. He alleged that the BJP was trying to create fear among Bengali-speaking citizens by suggesting possible legal action against them, and asserted that the people of West Bengal would respond decisively to such narratives.

Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Banerjee questioned the fulfilment of earlier promises, particularly the assurance of depositing ₹15 lakh into every citizen’s bank account. In contrast, he claimed that the Trinamool Congress offers long-term guarantees through its welfare-driven governance model.

The TMC leader also expressed strong support for the party’s candidate from Canning West, Paresh Ram Das, describing him as a grassroots leader who remains closely connected with the people. He urged party workers and supporters to ensure a decisive victory for Das, calling for a winning margin of over 50,000 votes.

Citing achievements in the constituency, Banerjee said that around 32,000 families had benefited from the Bengal Housing Scheme in the past two years. He added that approximately 85,000 women were receiving financial assistance under the Lakshmi Bhandar Scheme, while nearly 300,000 people were benefiting from subsidised food grains through the Khadya Sathi Scheme.

Projecting confidence ahead of the election, Banerjee claimed that the Trinamool Congress had already crossed the 100-seat mark after the first phase of polling. He further asserted that following the second phase scheduled for April 29, the opposition would be completely sidelined.

With a mix of development promises and political attacks, Banerjee’s rally underscored the high stakes in the ongoing West Bengal Assembly elections, as parties intensify their campaigns across key constituencies.