‘Thunder’: PM Modi hits back at TMC’s ‘jhalmuri’ dig with ‘chili’ barb

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday responded to opposition criticism over his unexpected halt in buying ‘jhalmuri’ during the West Bengal polls.Addressing a rally in Krishna Nagar, the Prime Minister said Bengal will celebrate the BJP’s victory with sweets and jhalmuri.Prime Minister Modi said: “You must wave the flag of the BJP-NDA victory with all your strength. On May 4, Bengal will also celebrate the victory of the BJP and distribute sweets and jhalmuri.”“Jhalmuri also gives a thunderous jolt to some people. I ate Jhalmuri… but TMC seems to be feeling the heat of the chillies,” he added.Earlier, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee termed Prime Minister Modi’s extended stay as “drama” and claimed that “the entire incident is scripted”.“It’s all drama. How come there are cameras present when the Prime Minister makes an unexpected stop during the campaign? The entire episode is scripted. He was seen carrying a Rs 10 note in his pocket. Is this believable?” Banerjee said.After writing his address in Jhargram, Prime Minister Modi walked up to a Jhalmuri stall and asked the vendor to provide him some snacks. In the process of preparation, he had a brief conversation with the shop owner.The TMC also said that PM Modi’s decision to extend his stay resulted in Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren returning to Ranchi without completing Mamata Banerjee’s scheduled election campaign.In X’s social media post, the TMC called the Prime Minister’s candid breakthrough a “photo op” and accused him of humiliating an Aboriginal leader.“Narendra Modi’s Adivasi-birodhi mentality has been exposed.” Since “Pradhan Sevak” decided to extend his stay in Jhargram to eat jalmouli, Jharkhand Chief Minister Shri Hemant Soren and his wife along with MLA Smt. Kalpana Soren was denied permission to fly to Jhargram in a helicopter in the presence of Modi,” the party said.“Two democratically elected leaders were grounded, kept waiting for hours and eventually forced to return to Ranchi without completing their scheduled plans, all because the Prime Minister’s extended snack break and photo-op took precedence over their democratic rights and constitutional status. This is Modi’s respect for indigenous leaders. This is the respect he shows for elected representatives who don’t kneel to him. He came to Jhargram to win the Adivasi vote. He left after humiliating those he claimed to support. Bangladesh saw it. Bangladesh will remember this day on May 4. “Voting for the first phase of the assembly elections is underway in the state, which is witnessing a tight race between the incumbent Trinamool Congress party, which is seeking a fourth consecutive term, and the Bharatiya Janata Party, which aims to form the government after a strong showing in the last elections.A total of 1,478 candidates are competing in this stage.Mamata Banerjee is aiming for a fourth consecutive term and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which secured 77 seats in the last election, is renewing its push to form a government in the state.