Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday kicked off the Bharatiya Janata Party’s campaign in West Bengal for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections with a public rally in Thakurnagar.

Addressing the rally, PM Modi said the interim Budget 2019, presented on Friday, was just the beginning, adding that the main budget after the general elections has much more in store for the youth, farmers, and other sections of the society.

In a bid to woo the people, the Prime Minister said the people will not be required to pay any ‘syndicate tax’ and the money to the farmers will be directly paid to their bank accounts.

“We know how you all are harassed by the ‘syndicate’. How systematic extortion happens here in Bengal. All that will end now. The Central government has started direct benefit transfers. You will no longer have to worry about the middlemen and ‘syndicates’ troubling you and taking your money. You will receive it directly in your bank accounts,” PM Modi said.

He further added that so far three crore bank accounts have been opened in Bengal.

Targeting Congress’ loan waiver promise, the PM said it was “just an effort of the Opposition to throw dust in the eyes of the farmers”.

The Congress announced loan waivers for farmers in three states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh after it won the Assembly elections last year. It had also promised further farm loan waivers in other states as well if it forms the government after Lok Sabha polls.

The Prime Minister also lauded the Centre’s Citizenship Amendment Bill and sought the support of the Trinamool Congress.

Earlier, PM Modi praised the Matua sect founder Harichand Thakur for his contribution to society.

Matuas with an estimated population of 30 lakh in West Bengal have influence in at least five Lok Sabha seats in North and South 24 Parganas districts.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also expected to address a rally in West Bengal’s industrial town of Durgapur later on Saturday.

The Durgapur rally is part of the BJP’s ‘Ganatantra Bachao’ (save democracy) programme in the state.

The rallies are being held at a time when the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal has upped the ante against the BJP-headed government at the Centre and has given the call to oust the PM Modi government in the next General Election.

The TMC had on January 19 organised a mega opposition rally which was attended by leaders of 24 parties from across the country, including the Congress. Among them was a former prime minister, and several current and former chief ministers and stalwarts from various political outfits from across the country.

Apart from PM Modi, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and many other top leaders are also expected to attend several ‘Ganatantra Bachao’ rallies across the state.