From Jhargram stall to NDA summit: Modi's 'jhalmuri' moment revives Bengal poll memories

The snack was served by West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, and images of the moment quickly went viral on social media.

For many political observers, however, the scene was reminiscent of another jhalmuri moment that dominated headlines during the high-voltage 2026 West Bengal Assembly election campaign.

PM Modi, along with other BJP leaders, was seen enjoying 'jhalmuri' at the NDA meet. Photo: Official Facebook.

Images of the Prime Minister enjoying jhalmuri with party leaders quickly circulated on social media and became one of the most talked-about moments from the gathering.

The Jhargram stop that became a campaign talking point

On April 19, while campaigning in Jhargram, Modi made an unscheduled stop at a roadside jhalmuri stall run by Bikram Kumar Sau.

The Prime Minister stepped out of his convoy, asked the vendor to prepare a serving of the popular Bengali snack, enquired about its price and paid for it himself.

PM Modi made a surprise stop at a roadside stall in Bengal's Jhargram, during the poll campaign to enjoy the local street snack jhalmuri. Photo: PM Office

The interaction quickly went viral across social media platforms and became one of the defining images of the BJP's Bengal campaign.

The episode generated enormous public attention, with videos and photographs of Modi eating jhalmuri circulating widely online.

The BJP projected the moment as an example of the Prime Minister's connect with ordinary Bengalis and Bengal's cultural traditions.

Food, identity and Bengal politics

The Jhargram stop soon evolved into a political talking point. Analysts viewed the gesture as part of the BJP's broader effort to engage with Bengali cultural identity, an issue that has remained central to electoral contests in the state.

PM Modi made a surprise stop at a roadside stall in Bengal's Jhargram, during the poll campaign to enjoy the local street snack jhalmuri. Photo: PM Office

Food symbols such as jhalmuri, alongside references to Durga Puja and Bengali heritage, featured prominently in the political messaging surrounding the election campaign.

The incident sparked a political war of words, with then Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee dismissing it as "jhalmuri drama" and questioning whether the stop had been spontaneous.

The BJP, meanwhile, highlighted the interaction as a symbol of Modi's grassroots outreach.

A snack that became an election symbol

The popularity of the Jhargram episode was such that the jhalmuri seller himself became a public figure in the weeks that followed.

His stall attracted visitors from across the region, while the encounter remained a recurring reference point during the remainder of the campaign.

Against that backdrop, Modi's decision to enjoy jhalmuri once again at Wednesday's NDA meeting appeared to be more than a casual culinary choice.

Whether intended as a political message or a nostalgic nod to a memorable campaign moment, the humble Bengali snack once again found itself at the centre of the national political conversation.