Union Home Minister Amit Shah commenced a significant three-day visit to West Bengal on Monday evening, immediately setting the political tone by asserting that the state is primed for a transformation. Upon landing in Kolkata, the senior BJP leader addressed key party members, emphasizing the need to remain vigilant against specific political narratives.
Direct Engagement with Party Cadre Marks Arrival
A notable departure from protocol highlighted Shah's arrival at Kolkata airport. While BJP workers and supporters had gathered in anticipation, Shah, after waving from his car, unexpectedly stepped out to directly interact with them. This gesture, often associated with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was described by state BJP members as a first for Shah during his visits to Bengal. He was flanked by state party president Samik Bhattacharya and Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari during this interaction.
Expressing his sentiments on social media platform X, Shah wrote, "I am overwhelmed by the love and affection of party workers." This hands-on approach underscored the visit's focus on grassroots mobilization.
Security Curbs Rally, Core Meetings Begin
Following the airport engagement, Shah proceeded to the party's state office in Salt Lake. Plans for a large bike rally involving 1,000 bikes around his convoy were scrapped after the Home Minister's security detail denied permission for the event. This adjustment underscored the high-security nature of the visit.
At the party office, Shah held meetings with senior state BJP leaders. His agenda for the next two days is packed, aimed at gathering booth-level feedback on the party's preparedness for the upcoming electoral battles. "I will have a detailed discussion in the core group meeting on Monday. I will meet MPs, MLAs and party workers the next day," Shah stated in his X post.
Countering the Narrative on Electoral Roll Revision
A central theme of Shah's directives to the state leadership revolved around the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Party sources indicated that Shah has taken note of opposition campaigns alleging irregularities and public harassment during the SIR process. He explicitly called upon BJP netas to sharply counter these narratives being built by rival parties.
This instruction points to the BJP's strategy to proactively manage the discourse around electoral integrity, a critical issue in the high-stakes political landscape of Bengal. The three-day visit is strategically designed to galvanize the party machinery and fine-tune its approach based on ground-level assessments.
