Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently held a significant rally in Malda, West Bengal, on January 17, 2026, where he actively sought the support of Generation Z voters. He asserted that the youth of India have reposed their faith in the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) development model. During his address, PM Modi underscored the party's growing acceptance across the country by citing two crucial electoral victories. Firstly, he highlighted the BJP's 'historic win' in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls, where the party emerged as the single largest entity, effectively ending the Shiv Sena's long-standing dominance in the civic body. The Mahayuti alliance, comprising the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, secured a majority in the Mumbai civic elections, with results declared on January 16-17, 2026. Secondly, Modi pointed to the BJP's breakthrough in Kerala's capital, Thiruvananthapuram, where the party secured its first-ever mayor in the civic elections. This victory, which saw the BJP-led NDA winning 50 out of 101 wards, ended the Left Democratic Front's (LDF) 45-year rule in the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation, with results announced on December 13, 2025. These examples were presented to demonstrate the BJP's ability to win even in regions traditionally considered challenging for the party. The Prime Minister's visit and focus on youth engagement come ahead of upcoming Assembly elections in West Bengal, where the BJP aims to make significant inroads. Additionally, during his visit, PM Modi inaugurated various rail and road infrastructure projects worth ₹3,250 crore in West Bengal and flagged off India's first Vande Bharat sleeper train.