Kolkata: Prime Minister Narendra Modi tries his hand at photography during a boat ride on the Hooghly River ahead of the second phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections, in Kolkata, Friday, April 24, 2026. (Photo: IANS/PMO)
New Delhi, April 24 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday spent time on the banks of the Hooghly River in Kolkata, taking a boat ride and reiterated his government’s commitment to the development of West Bengal and the prosperity of its people.
Taking to the social media platform X, the Prime Minister highlighted the cultural and spiritual importance of the Ganga for Bengalis.
PM Modi said, "For every Bengali, the Ganga occupies a very special place. One can say that the Ganga flows through the soul of Bengal. Her divine waters carry the timeless spirit of an entire civilisation."
Sharing details of his visit, PM Modi said he spent some quiet moments by the Hooghly River as an expression of gratitude to Maa Ganga.
"This morning in Kolkata, I spent some time on the banks of the Hooghly River, an opportunity to express gratitude to Maa Ganga," he said.
He also interacted with local boatmen and morning walkers, praising the hardworking nature of the people he met during the visit.
"Also had the opportunity to meet boatmen, whose hardworking nature is admirable and morning walkers," PM Modi said.
The Prime Minister further noted that his visit was also an occasion to reaffirm his government’s resolve to work for the progress of West Bengal.
"On the Hooghly, reiterated our commitment to work towards the development of West Bengal and the prosperity of the great Bengali people," he said.
Meanwhile, the state on Thursday witnessed the first phase of its Assembly elections, with polling held across several districts in northern and southern parts. The phase recorded a voter turnout of 92.59 per cent, the highest ever for a first phase in a state.
The elections have turned into a high-stakes contest between the ruling All India Trinamool Congress, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, amid intense political debate over voter list revision.
Following the first phase, Prime Minister Modi has begun campaigning for the next round of polls. Addressing a rally in Krishnanagar in Nadia district, he took a swipe at the Trinamool Congress over its reaction to an earlier campaign moment when he ate jhalmuri in Jhargram. “On May 4, the BJP will be victorious in West Bengal, and sweets and jhalmuri will be distributed. I ate the jhalmuri, but the heat was felt by the Trinamool Congress,” he remarked.
The second phase of polling is scheduled for April 29, while the counting of votes will take place on May 4.
Being boatman for Prime Minister's ride today was great experience: Gouranga Biswas
For Gouranga Biswas, the boatman who rowed the boat in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi went for a ride on Friday morning, the experience was really fascinating.
Speaking to the IANS, Biswas said that he had never imagined that he would row the boat on which the Prime Minister of the country went for a ride.
“I was not aware till the last moment that the Prime Minister would be going for the boat-ride on my boat. He suddenly appeared and just asked my name. I was speechless initially, since I had never imagined such a situation. He travelled for some time on Hooghly River and also clicked some pictures with his camera,” Biswas said.
However, he said that there was no opportunity for him to take a picture along with Prime Minister Modi.
"His boat-ride continued for some time and I took the boat till the middle of the river,” Biswas said and added that though quite excited, he was not nervous while sailing the boat.
“But I did not have the chance to speak much with him. He asked my name and I replied. That was all. The conversation could not continue probably because neither I can understand nor speak Hindi. Then he gestured to me to go till the middle of the river, which I did. But I am very happy that I sailed the boat in which the Prime Minister of the country was travelling. The other persons accompanying the Prime Minister were speaking among themselves in Hindi, which I could not understand,” Biswas added.
According to him, previously he had the opportunity of being the boatman of the boats in which film stars were travelling. “But sailing the boat in which the Prime Minister was travelling was a different feeling after all,” Biswas added.
On Friday morning, Prime Minister Modi took to social media to post a picture of his boat ride. In that post, he also highlighted the cultural and spiritual importance of the Ganga River for Bengalis.
PM Modi said, “For every Bengali, the Ganga occupies a very special place. One can say that the Ganga flows through the soul of Bengal. Her divine waters carry the timeless spirit of an entire civilisation.”
