JP Nadda’s Bengal Visit: ‘Kamal Will Bloom in Bengal,’ Vows BJP Chief Ahead of Elections

Ahmedabad/Vadodara: Ahead of the West Bengal assembly elections, BJP National President and Union Health Minister JP Nadda delivered a strong message, asserting that the lotus—BJP’s election symbol—will bloom in the state. Speaking in an aggressive tone, Nadda targeted Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) while highlighting the party’s success in implementing central schemes in other states.

Targeting States That Delayed Ayushman Bharat
Addressing a public event during his Bengal visit, Nadda said there were three states that initially resisted the central government’s flagship Ayushman Bharat scheme. The first was Odisha, where Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had rejected it. The second was Delhi, where Arvind Kejriwal had initially opposed it. Nadda emphasized that in both states, BJP ensured that the scheme reached the people, claiming that “the lotus bloomed” there.

Turning to Bengal, Nadda said, “I have not just a ray of hope, but full confidence that the lotus will bloom here too and Ayushman Bharat will reach the people.” He took a dig at TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, referencing her slogan ‘Hobe Na,’ and declared, “Hobe Na will become Hobe-Hobe.”

Ayushman Bharat: Scheme Overview
The Ayushman Bharat scheme, officially PMJAY (Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana), was launched by PM Narendra Modi in 2018 from Ranchi, Jharkhand. It provides health insurance coverage of up to ₹5 lakh per family for poor and vulnerable households. West Bengal, however, opted out of this central scheme in January 2019, running its own program named “Swasthya Sathi.” Like Ayushman Bharat, Swasthya Sathi provides ₹5 lakh of health coverage per family, with the scheme’s card issued to the female head of the household, covering all family members.

Political Context
Nadda’s visit comes at a time of heightened political activity in West Bengal, with BJP intensifying its campaign ahead of elections. By highlighting the success of central schemes in other states, Nadda seeks to position the party as an agent of governance and welfare in contrast to TMC’s regional administration.