Amit Shah to Strategize BJP’s Approach for West Bengal Bypolls in Kolkata
Kolkata: Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to visit Kolkata in the last week of October to formulate strategies for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the upcoming bypolls in six Assembly constituencies across West Bengal. His visit is scheduled for October 24, according to a member of the BJP’s state committee.
During his stay, Shah is expected to not only finalize the party’s bypoll strategies but also provide specific guidelines aimed at increasing BJP’s membership in West Bengal. The state committee member emphasized the importance of this initiative, especially in light of recent challenges faced by the party.
On October 24, Shah will hold a meeting with elected MPs, MLAs, and top party leaders from the state to discuss the party’s direction and strategies for the upcoming electoral contest. The bypolls, set for November 13, are considered critical for both the Trinamool Congress and the BJP, particularly in the context of ongoing agitation following the tragic rape and murder of a junior doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata earlier this year.
The party’s state committee member noted that a new membership drive has been on hold for the past two months due to the unrest surrounding the R.G. Kar incident. The guidance from Shah on this front, as well as on bypoll strategies, is highly anticipated.
The six Assembly constituencies facing bypolls are Sitai in Cooch Behar district, Madarihat in Alipurduar district, Naihati and Haroa in North 24 Parganas, Medinipur in West Midnapore district, and Taldangra in Bankura district. Counting for the bypolls will take place on November 23.
These constituencies became vacant after sitting MLAs were elected to the Lok Sabha earlier this year. Notably, while Madarihat was won by the BJP in the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections, the Trinamool Congress secured victories in the remaining five seats. The upcoming bypolls will thus be a critical test for both parties in the state’s evolving political landscape.
