PM Modi, Amit Shah to address rallies in state

Kolkata: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to address seven BJP rallies including a grand one on April 3 in support of the party candidates at the historic Brigade Parade Ground as part of his campaign for the Lok Sabha Elections.

He will be followed by BJP president Amit Shah who is expected to address at least four rallies in the first week of the next month, according to sources adding that Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s name has also been on the list of campaigners.

State BJP general secretary Raju Banerjee said, “A proposal has been sent to the party central leadership for organising a rally at the Brigade. A discussion has been underway. The PM schedule, be it venue or the date is generally finalised from the PMO.”

West Bengal is one of the priority states for the BJP in the country.

The saffron party, which bagged two Lok Sabha seats in the state in the 2014 elections, is now targeting 23 of the state’s 42 constituencies.

The Lok Sabha election in the state is a “semi-final match” for the BJP before it goes out for an all-out battle to oust the Mamata Banerjee-headed Trinamul Congress government in the 2021 assembly polls, a senior state BJP leader said.

The last time the BJP had planned to organise a rally at the Brigade was on January 23 on the occasion of statewide mega event Rath Yatra, which however did not take place. This time however the state BJP leadership sounded determined to hold the rally. Lok Sabha elections will be held in West Bengal in seven phases from April 11 to May 19.