Rallies, road shows in WB felt like pilgrimage; will celebrate oath-taking ceremony of BJP CM: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said he felt like he was on a pilgrimage while addressing rallies and participating in road shows in West Bengal, asserting that divine energy from Maa Kali's devotees and blessings from the people gave him strength throughout the high-voltage campaign. In an audio message and open letter to the people of West Bengal on the final day of campaigning for the second and last phase of the state polls, Modi expressed gratitude to the residents and exuded confidence that the BJP would form the next government in the state, saying he would ''celebrate the oath-taking ceremony together with the people''. ''Despite addressing so many rallies amid the intense heat, I did not feel even the slightest fatigue during this election campaign in West Bengal. These rallies, these road shows... I felt as if I was on a pilgrimage,'' he said. ''Whenever I went among the devotees of Maa Kali... Perhaps Maa Kali herself kept filling me with continuous energy,'' the prime minister said. Drawing a parallel with his spiritual experience before the consecration of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya in January 2024, Modi said he felt the same divine energy during the West Bengal campaign. ''Before the 'Pran Pratishtha' of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya, I had observed an 11-day ritual with deep devotion and had undertaken a fast. I feel that during that time, Lord Shri Ram filled me with boundless energy,'' he said. ''In this election too, I experienced the same feeling -- like the one you get while having darshan at a temple. Seeing the people, who are like manifestations of God, infused me with renewed energy,'' he added. Modi said he had the opportunity to participate in the ''festival of West Bengal'' and present the BJP's roadmap for the state's development and a brighter future for its youth to the people. ''Today, canvassing ends. My last rally of this election campaign has also just concluded. Through this letter, I want to express my gratitude to every family member of West Bengal and also share my emotions,'' he said. The prime minister said the affection shown by people across age groups during rallies and road shows was the ''real wealth'' of his life. Reiterating his confidence in the BJP's victory, the prime minister said, ''Serving and securing West Bengal is my responsibility. Turning every challenge before West Bengal into an opportunity is also part of my destiny. I will not back down from this responsibility... And we will all celebrate the oath-taking ceremony of a BJP CM together.'' ''This is not just my personal belief. I have felt this confidence within you,'' he added.

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