Siliguri launch pad for PM poll drive

TT, 24 Mar 2019, Calcutta: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch his Bengal campaign with a public meeting in Siliguri on April 3 and follow it up with a “slew of rallies ” across the state during the seven-phase Lok Sabha polls, the BJP state chief said.

“ Modiji is coming to Siliguri for an election rally on April 3. The Prime Minister's Office has confirmed his schedule,” Dilip Ghosh said.

Several BJP insiders said that the party's central leadership was drawing plans of a campaign blitzkrieg in Bengal.

by organising rallies of Modi, party's national president Amit Shah and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Adityanath. Sources in the state BJP said that Shah would be in Siliguri on April 2 to hold a core committee meeting to draw up strategies for all eight north Bengal seats. It could not be confirmed whether Shah would also be present at the Siliguri rally.

According to the party's internal assessment, the BJP has fair chance of winning in at least five to six of the north Bengal seats.

"With Modiji's rally, we want to raise the tempo for the campaign. And he will hold rallies across the state before all the phases of election," said a source.

Shah will also be a frequent flyer to Bengal in the poll season. "Amitji will visit Bengal on April 2 in Siliguri, April 4 in Durgapur, April 7 in Kharagpur or Midnapore and April 9 in Calcutta for seat based core committee meets," a BJP insider said.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath too would be visit Bengal eight times during the campaign. "Yogiji is likely to campaign in Malda North, Basirhat, Ghatal and Raiganj and another four places which are yet to be finalised," a source added.

Meanwhile, in a meeting with all south Bengal district leaders and candidates at National Library auditorium, Bengal's co-minder Arvind Menon warned against any indiscipline over candidate selection.

"We want to tell everybody that we will not tolerate any indiscipline. If someone is not happy with the list of candidates, the doors are open for them," a BJP member said quoting Menon.