Addressing a rally at Salboni in Paschim Medinipur ahead of the first phase of the West Bengal assembly polls, Shah sought to turn the contest into a direct ideological battle between the BJP and the ruling Trinamool Congress.

He declared that the election was not merely about choosing a government but about "freeing Bengal from infiltrators, corruption and fear".

"Mamata Didi wants to protect infiltrators. But I am telling you, press the button on EVM beside the lotus (BJP's poll symbol) on April 23 and a BJP government will drive out every infiltrator from Bengal," he said.

The Union home minister also intensified his attack on what the BJP terms "bhaipo culture" in Bengal politics, targeting Mamata Banerjee's nephew and TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, without naming him.

"Mamata ji wants to make her nephew the chief minister of Bengal. She is misleading people by claiming that if the BJP wins, an outsider will become chief minister. I assure you that the next chief minister of Bengal will be from the BJP, born and brought up in Bengal, and he will speak Bengali," Shah said.