RSS to back Trinamool in Bengal: State BJP

Roy, who about a year ago had said they might invite Gujarat CM Narendra Modi for campaigning, today ruled it out saying that Modi was just a ‘state leader’ and they would not invite him to campaign in Bengal. ‘‘Modi is a regional leader, and moreover he can’t speak Bengali. So there is no use inviting him,’’ Roy said.

He added that his party has lined up a host of leaders and stars to campaign in the state. ‘‘Bengali speaking leaders like Lalita Kumarmangalam and S.S. Ahluwalia are definitely coming. Apart from them, the leaders who are most likely to come are Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee, DPM L. K. Advani, Pramod Mahajan, Sushma Swaraj, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and party chief M. Venkaiah Naidu. Singers like Bhupen Hazarika and Kumar Shanu are also likely to come,’’ Roy said.

The WB BJP president said he was not very happy with the seat adjustment with Trinamool Congress. ‘‘We are not very happy with some seats that were given to us. But to keep the alliance intact, we have accepted what we have been given,’’ he said.