In a significant political move, Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to arrive in West Bengal later this month, closely following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's scheduled visit. This back-to-back tour by the top BJP leadership underscores the party's intensified focus on the crucial eastern state ahead of upcoming elections.
Schedule and Significance of the Visits
Amit Shah is expected to be in the poll-bound state on December 29 and 30, as per sources. This visit comes just days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's planned tour on December 20. PM Modi is scheduled to reach Ranaghat after 11 am on Saturday, where he will attend government programmes before heading to a major public rally at Taherpur in Nadia district.
During his visit, the Prime Minister is expected to inaugurate and lay the foundation stones for multiple central government projects. These initiatives are aimed at boosting infrastructure and development in the region, a key part of the BJP's outreach.
Shah's Agenda: Ground Assessment and Strategy
The Home Minister's two-day itinerary is packed with strategic meetings and ground-level reviews. Shah is likely to meet senior state BJP leaders and take stock of the party's poll preparedness. A core part of his mission will be to assess planning at the booth level, which is considered the fundamental unit of election management.
State leaders indicated that the purpose of Shah's visit is to chalk out detailed plans to connect with rural masses before the polls. "He will assess the ground situation at the booth level, focus on strengthening the organization, and sharpen the party's strategy," a Bengal BJP leader said.
Focus on 'Mission Bengal' and Key Issues
The visit gains further context after Shah's recent meeting in New Delhi with state BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya, where they discussed "demographic changes" in Bengal. Following the announcement of the Bihar election results, state BJP leaders had indicated that Shah would soon lead "Mission Bengal."
This campaign, according to party insiders, will primarily focus on the issue of making Bengal "free of infiltrators." Over the past fortnight, Shah has been particularly vocal about issues pertaining to West Bengal, setting the stage for a heated electoral battle.
Echoing the sentiment, Bengal BJP co-incharge Mangal Pandey stated that the party had intensified its preparations for the state assembly elections. "Amit Shahji's visit is important for boosting the morale of party workers," he emphasized. This visit follows Shah's claim a week ago that the NDA would win big in both Bengal and Tamil Nadu.
The Road Ahead for BJP in Bengal
The consecutive visits by the PM and the Home Minister signal a high-octane, centralized push by the BJP to make deep inroads into West Bengal. The focus on booth-level management, organizational strength, and specific populist issues outlines the party's multi-pronged strategy.
With the political temperature rising, all eyes will be on the outcomes of these top-level meetings and the subsequent rollout of the BJP's "Mission Bengal" campaign on the ground.
