West Bengal Elections 2026: PM Modi’s jhalmuri break in Jhargram leaves TMC fuming

Prime Minister Narendra Modi takes jhalmuri, a popular Bengali puffed rice snack, from a vendor in West Bengal on April 19, 2026. Credit: X/@narendramodi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi sampled jhalmuri, a popular Bengali puffed rice snack, on Sunday (April 19, 2026) during a break from joint public meetings in West Bengal.

Also read | Security has been beefed up at the Jhalmuri booth, which the Prime Minister visited during the WB election campaign

Mr. Modi shared photos and videos of the unlikely event where he is seen asking a shopkeeper to prepare jhalmuri. The seller initially refuses when the PM offers to pay, before accepting the money at his insistence.

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Jhalmuri food break in Jhargram! pic.twitter.com/t0TcDeONxt

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 19, 2026

“In the midst of four public meetings across West Bengal on a hectic Sunday, I enjoyed a delicious spicy puffed rice in Jhargram,” Mr. Modi said.

The Prime Minister addressed rallies in Bankura, Purulia, Jhargram and Paschim Medinipur where he criticized the Trinamool Congress government on several fronts and called the West Bengal ruling party “anti-money”.

In a statement, the Trinamool Congress said that since the Prime Minister had to eat jhalmuri in Jhargram on this day, his official program in Jhargram was extended.

“Meanwhile, both Hemant Soren (Jharkhand Chief Minister) and his wife Kalpana Soren, who were scheduled to fly to Jhargram after meetings in Dantan and Keshiyari, were not given permission to fly their helicopter to Jhargram when Mr. Modi was present,” Trinamool said.

The TMC said that despite waiting for several hours, the Sorens had to return to Ranchi. West Bengal’s ruling party, for which the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader has been campaigning for the past few days, said the development exposed the prime minister’s “anti-Adivasi” mindset.

Published – 19 Apr 2026 22:21 IST