Top BJP leaders to camp in Bengal

More than a dozen central BJP leaders will visit about 40 parliamentary constituencies in West Bengal from April 7 to 14 to strengthen the party organisation in the state.

Although the party state unit had prepared a list of 36 central leaders, including Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Textiles Minister Smriti Irani, to visit the state, they got confirmation from only 13 till Wednesday evening. According to the party, Rajnath and Smriti have not confirmed their visit. Among those who have are Union Ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad, Radha Mohan Singh, Minister of State M J Akbar and Jayant Sinha.

This is part of a national campaign by the BJP to increase the party’s footprint in constituencies from where it had lost in the 2014 general elections.

“We are hopeful that more central leaders will come to Bengal and visit the LS seats. Those who have confirmed will meet our leaders and workers of the Lok Sabha seats,” said state BJP vice-president Raj Kamal Pathak.