- May 16, 2026
‘Has Jhalmuri Reached Here Too?’: PM Modi’s Bengal Election Quip Draws Cheers In Netherlands
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PM Narendra Modi joked about jhalmuri during Netherlands visit, recalling his West Bengal campaign snack stop that sparked political debate between BJP and Trinamool Congress
PM Modi addressing in Netherlands (Credits: YouTube/Narendra Modi)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday made a lighthearted reference to jhalmuri during his visit to the Netherlands, weeks after he was seen eating the popular Bengali street snack during his election campaign in West Bengal.
“Has jhalmuri also reached the Netherlands?” PM Modi remarked during an interaction with members of the Indian diaspora, drawing laughter from the audience.
The comment quickly drew attention online as jhalmuri has recently become part of the political conversation in Bengal. During the West Bengal election campaign in April, PM Modi had made an unscheduled stop in Jhargram to eat jhalmuri at a roadside stall, a moment that later triggered a political exchange between the BJP and the Trinamool Congress.
The Prime Minister also spoke about India’s democratic participation, saying that “every year record breaking voting is happening in India”. Referring to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, PM Modi said more than 64 crore people cast their votes, which he noted was higher than the population of the European Union.
Speaking about economic ties, Modi said the proposed India European Union trade agreement would benefit the Netherlands and its people. He also described the Indian diaspora as a “trusted bridge” between India and Europe.
Bengal Polls And The Jhalmuri Reference
The remark comes in the backdrop of the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly elections, where political parties aggressively pushed Bengali identity and cultural symbolism during campaigning. Food, language and regional pride became central themes in the heated contest between the BJP and the ruling All India Trinamool Congress.
During the campaign, Prime Minister Narendra Modi repeatedly attempted to connect with local culture through public interactions, including his widely discussed stop at a roadside stall in Jhargram to eat jhalmuri. The moment later became part of the political sparring between the BJP and the Trinamool Congress, with both sides invoking Bengali cultural identity in their campaign narratives.
The 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections saw a major political shift, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) defeating the ruling All India Trinamool Congress and forming its first government in the state. The BJP crossed the 200 seat mark in the 294 member Assembly, ending Mamata Banerjee’s 15 year rule in Bengal.
Senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari took oath as West Bengal’s first BJP chief minister after the party’s historic victory.
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