New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a surprise roadside stop in West Bengal during the ongoing assembly election campaign, drawing attention for his informal interaction with locals.
After addressing a large rally in Jhargram, Modi briefly halted his convoy on the way back and stepped out at a small stall selling jhalmuri, a popular Bengali snack. The vendor prepared a fresh serving as the prime minister watched closely before tasting it.
Casual chat with locals
PM Modi was seen speaking with the stall owner and nearby residents in a relaxed manner. According to people present at the spot, the area quickly turned lively, with slogans of โModi, Modiโ and โJai Shri Ramโ being raised.
๐๐ ๐๐จ๐๐ข ๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฏ๐จ๐ฒ, ๐๐ง๐ฃ๐จ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฅโ๐ฌ ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ง๐๐๐ค, ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฃ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข, ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฆ.
The spontaneous moment left everyone speechless; interacting with womenโฆ pic.twitter.com/WNTcpXMZXU
โ BJP (@BJP4India) April 19, 2026
The stall owner later said there was no prior information about the visit. He said the prime minister simply asked for โgood jhalmuriโ before enjoying it.
Shares snack with children
During the brief stop, Modi also shared jhalmuri with children and interacted with women from the area. One woman told him that government support in the past had helped improve her familyโs livelihood.
The interaction lasted only a few minutes but drew attention on social media after the prime minister shared pictures from the visit.
Rally targets TMC
Earlier in the day, Modi addressed a rally in Jhargram where he targeted the ruling Trinamool Congress. He accused the state government of corruption and misuse of welfare schemes.
He said sectors such as education, rural employment and disaster relief had been affected due to what he described as misuse of power. He also said the upcoming election was a movement for change and urged voters to support development-oriented governance.
PM Modi assured better infrastructure, improved welfare delivery and more job opportunities if his party is voted to power in the state.