Prime Minister Narendra Modi tries his hand in photography during a boat ride on the Hooghly river, ahead of the second phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections, in Kolkata. Photo: X|(@narendramodi via PTI
PM takes boat ride on Hooghly river in Kolkata, tries his hand at photography
PM Modi’s visit to the Hooghly river in Kolkata coincided with ongoing Assembly polls in Bengal, as he shifted focus to campaigning for the next phase of polls
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday (April 24) took a boat ride on the Hooghly river in Kolkata even as he actively campaigns for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the ongoing Assembly elections in West Bengal.
Sharing photos of the visit on X, PM Modi described the Hooghly as deeply connected to Bengal’s cultural identity. Further, he noted that the Ganga holds a special place in the lives of Bengalis, symbolising the spirit of an ancient civilisation carried through its waters.
"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," PM Modi wrote. He said he spent time on the banks of the Hooghly to express his gratitude to Maa Ganga.
The Prime Minister said he 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," Modi said.
Photographs of Hooghly river
In the photographs he posted on social media about his trip, he is seen seated on a wooden boat with a camera in hand, and the iconic Howrah Bridge and the Vidyasagar Setu are visible in the background.
"Tried my hand at photographing this great river. Also caught a close glimpse of the Vidyasagar Setu and Howrah Bridge," the Prime Minister said on X.
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Modi’s visit to the Hooghly river in Kolkata coincided with the ongoing Assembly elections in West Bengal, as he shifted focus to campaigning for the next phase of polls.
Jhalmuri politics
At a rally in Krishnanagar, Modi took a swipe at the Trinamool Congress, quipping, “I have heard that even jhalmuri has given certain individuals a thunderous jolt. I had jhalmuri, but it seems that the TMC leaders are feeling heat of the chillies.”
Responding sharply to his comment, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee retorted, “We are used to jhalmuri’s spiciness." According to the TMC, Modi's jhalmuri's stop at a roadside stall stalled the visit of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren to Bengal to campaign for the TMC.
Voting for 294 seats
The first phase of polling for the 294-member Assembly was held on Thursday, recording an impressive turnout of 91.91 per cent according to the Election Commission. The second phase is scheduled for April 29, with counting on May 4.
Several districts reported turnout above 90 per cent, underscoring strong voter engagement. Dakshin Dinajpur led with 94.85 per cent, followed by Cooch Behar (94.54 per cent), Birbhum (93.70 per cent), Jalpaiguri (93.23 per cent), and Murshidabad (92.93 per cent). The figures highlight widespread participation across constituencies under tight security arrangements.
(With agency inputs)