With focus on panchayat polls, PM likely to address tribal rally in Bengal

Kolkata, June 3 (IANS) With an eye on the forthcoming three-tier panchayat polls in the state, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to hold a rally in one of the tribal dominated districts of West Bengal this month.

However, the state BJP unit in West Bengal is claiming that the PM's probable visit will be part of the party's nationwide programme to celebrate the ninth anniversary of the current Union government.

Sources from the state unit of BJP said that the Prime Minister might come to the state either on June 8 or June 9. Modi is expected to address a rally at tribal- dominated Purulia district, where the saffron forces have sufficient organisational strength.

"Like the Prime Minister, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and party's national president J.P. Nadda are also expected to visit the state this month and hold rallies", said a state committee member of BJP in West Bengal.

He also said that the state BJP unit has decided to conduct a mass outreach programme in the state during the current month with special focus on rural pockets in the state.

"The basic focus of the mass outreach programme that will be conducted door-to-door will be to highlight the nine-year success stories of the Union government under the leadership of Narendra Modi," the state committee member said.

Last month, when the Union Minister Shah came to West Bengal he held a meeting with the top leadership of the state BJP. In that meeting he advised the leaders to strengthen the organisational base and booth-committees of the party in the state and focus on reaching out to as many people as possible.

"In his probable visit this month after the Prime Minister, the Union home minister is expected to review the organisation structure of the party in the state also," the state committee member said.

"During his last visit, the Union home minister advised the state leadership of the party to take the rural civic body polls with equal seriousness like that of the Lok Sabha polls scheduled next year, since the party's performance in the panchayat polls will show the direction for the strategies to be adopted for the big battle in 2024,' the state committee member said.