Gen Z Believes in BJP’s Development Politics: Narendra Modi

Kolkata/Malda, January 17, 2026 — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday claimed that the country’s Generation Z strongly believes in the development-oriented politics of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), citing the party’s recent electoral successes.
Addressing an election rally in Malda district of West Bengal, Modi said the younger generation of India has placed its trust in the BJP’s vision of development and governance. Referring to the recent landslide victory of the BJP in Mumbai’s local government elections, he said the results reflected growing youth confidence in the party.
“The Gen Z generation believes in BJP’s development politics,” Modi said, adding that the party registered a record win in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections for the first time. He expressed optimism that voters in West Bengal would follow a similar path in the upcoming state elections.
West Bengal is scheduled to go to the polls in the coming months, and political tensions in the state have intensified as major parties trade accusations ahead of the election.
Launching a sharp attack on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC), Modi accused the state government of corruption and misgovernance. Speaking partly in Bengali, he said, “This government needs to be removed.”
He alleged that the “cruel and insensitive” TMC government was looting public money and preventing central government assistance from reaching the people of Bengal. According to Modi, meaningful development in the state would only be possible if the BJP comes to power.
The prime minister also accused the TMC government of sheltering illegal infiltrators and said strict action would be taken against infiltration if the BJP forms the government in West Bengal.
Reassuring persecuted Matua community members and other refugees from neighboring countries, Modi said they had nothing to fear as the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) ensures their protection.