‘Got the guts?’ Derek O’Brien dares Modi to quit if Mamata Banerjee wins Bengal polls

Derek said, “Narendra, you had announced that you are the candidate for all 294 seats in Bengal.”

“Drop the big talk. Accept this challenge. On May 4, when Mamata Banerjee and TMC win Bengal, resign from the Prime Minister’s post. Got the guts?” he said.

His remarks came as voting was underway across 142 seats in the second phase of polling in the eastern state on Wednesday.

Around 32.1 million voters are expected to decide the fate of candidates in an intense contest between the ruling TMC and the Bharatiya Janata Party.

The BJP, led by Modi, campaigned extensively in the state, which has been under TMC rule for three consecutive terms since 2011.

Boosting the BJP’s campaign, Modi has held several rallies in West Bengal since March 15.

The epicentre of the second phase is the Bhabanipur Assembly constituency, where Banerjee is facing a high-stakes contest against BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, once considered her close aide.

The phase also covers politically crucial districts such as North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas—traditional TMC strongholds—together accounting for 64 seats. Other districts going to polls include Hooghly (18 seats), Nadia (17), Howrah (16), East Burdwan (16), and Kolkata (11).

Polling began early amid tight security arrangements, with central forces deployed across sensitive areas to ensure smooth voting.