Nadda predicts BJP victory in 2026 West Bengal Polls, slams opposition for ignoring Ayushman Bharat
In a sharp political attack, Nadda accused the previous opposition governments in Odisha, Delhi, and West Bengal of denying citizens access to the Ayushman Bharat scheme due to “political arrogance.”
Odisha: Union health minister and BJP national president JP Nadda on Friday projected a decisive victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party in the upcoming 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections.
Addressing a gathering at the Baliyatra Ground in Cuttack, Nadda launched the Union government's flagship Ayushman Bharat health scheme along with Odisha’s state-run Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana (GJAY).
In a sharp political attack, Nadda accused the previous opposition governments in Odisha, Delhi, and West Bengal of denying citizens access to the Ayushman Bharat scheme due to “political arrogance.” He noted that only West Bengal now remains outside the purview of the scheme, with Odisha and Delhi already witnessing political setbacks as a result of their refusal to implement it.
“The previous governments of Naveen Patnaik in Odisha, Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi, and the present Mamata Banerjee administration in West Bengal refused to adopt Ayushman Bharat despite repeated appeals. Two of them—Patnaik and Kejriwal—have paid the price, as people rejected them at the ballot box. I am confident that West Bengal will follow suit and elect the BJP in 2026,” Nadda said.
The Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), launched in 2018 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Ranchi, provides free medical coverage of up to ₹5 lakh per family per year. Nadda emphasized that this initiative is aimed at ensuring equitable healthcare access to millions of families across the country.
Recalling his efforts to convince Odisha’s former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to implement the scheme, Nadda said: “We appealed several times. I even asked senior leader Jual Oram to mediate. But Naveen Babu refused to listen—neither to the Centre nor to the people of Odisha. His ego stood in the way of life-saving healthcare for millions.”
Turning his attention to Delhi, Nadda criticised former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for similarly ignoring calls to implement Ayushman Bharat. “We requested him too, but he chose not to act. Now, the people have given their verdict—we have our government in Delhi,” he added.
Issuing a direct warning to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Nadda said, “The time has come for the lotus to bloom in Bengal. We will bring Ayushman Bharat to West Bengal as well. No state should be denied better healthcare due to political ego.”
The healthcare schemes were launched in the presence of Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Deputy Chief Ministers Pravati Parida and KV Singh Deo, BJP National Vice-President Baijayant Panda, and several other senior leaders.
