Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], April 18 (ANI): Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Saturday took a dig at the West Bengal's Trinamool Congress (TMC) government, stating that the state's progress was hindered by its prevailing political environment.

He further asserted that people in the state now want a change in governance and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is necessary for the progress of Bengal.

'The political environment of West Bengal is hindering its development and the people here want Bengal to move forward along with the country. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, when the nation and every state, including Madhya Pradesh, are progressing, Bengal is lagging behind. Even though it was once among the leading states of the country. Now, a sentiment is emerging among the people that they want freedom from 'jungle raj' and wish to move towards development. The public wants to bring a BJP government to power with an overwhelming majority,' CM Yadav told ANI.

CM Yadav expressed hope that in the coming time, a BJP government would be formed in West Bengal in alignment with the Centre, which would pave the way for a new phase of development in the state.

He further stated, 'People in Bengal are troubled and development is obstructed. In such a situation, it is very important to choose the BJP for development.'

Addressing concerns around the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Yadav said the process has been conducted across the country, including Madhya Pradesh, and that genuine voters have been duly considered.

'SIR process has taken place everywhere and in Madhya Pradesh as well. In the SIR process, due consideration has been given to genuine voters. Therefore, it is wrong to say that voting is being affected because of SIR. It is also true that to stop Bangladeshi infiltrators, it is necessary for all of us to ensure that the strength of the nation remains with patriots. Therefore, BJP is necessary for the progress of Bengal,' CM Yadav added.

Polling for West Bengal Assembly elections, which will take place in two phases on April 23 and 29, with the results set for May 4.

The upcoming elections follow the 2021 battle, where the TMC secured a landslide 213 seats. Nonetheless, the BJP's growth from a minor player to 77 seats in the last cycle, with zero seats for Congress and Left parties, has set the stage for the current high-stakes confrontation. (ANI)