BJP national chief JP Nadda to visit poll-bound Bengal a month after convoy attack
On the afternoon of December 10, the cavalcade of the BJP national president was stoned in South 24 Parganas, leaving several national and state leaders bleeding and bruised.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president JP Nadda will be visiting West Bengal for a day on January 9, a month after his convoy was stoned at Diamond Harbour in South 24 Parganas district on December 10.
Nadda will attend political programmes in the Katwa area of East Burdwan district, located about 145 km to the south-west of Kolkata. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) Lok Sabha MP from East Burdwan, Sunil Mandal, joined the BJP on December 19.
Security arrangements for Nadda have been tightened manifold in view of the attack, BJP leaders said. Instead of driving down to Burdwan from Kolkata he will fly in a chopper.
“Nadda will attend a rally and have lunch at the home of a party supporter in the Dainhat area. He is also scheduled to visit the famous Sarbamangala temple in Burdwan town,” said a state BJP leader. “Rest of the schedule has not been finalized yet,” he added.
Union home minister Amit Shah is also scheduled to visit Bengal on January 30. Shah visited West Midnapore and Birbhum districts on December 19 and 20 respectively during a two-day trip. His visit was marked by the biggest defection from the TMC. Led by heavyweight leader Suvendu Adhikari, six sitting TMC legislators, three other MLAs from the Left and Congress and the Burdwan East Lok Sabha member joined the BJP in Shah’s presence at a massive rally in Midnapore town.
On the afternoon of December 10, the cavalcade of the BJP national president was stoned in South 24 Parganas, leaving several national and state leaders bleeding and bruised in the state for the first time.
The incident took place at Shirakol in Diamond Harbour, the Lok Sabha constituency of Abhishek Banerjee, chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew who has emerged as the BJP’s main political target in recent weeks.
Several BJP workers were allegedly assaulted as well in the attack. The incident was telecast live by several news channels. Vehicles of some media houses were also damaged.
BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, national vice-president Mukul Roy and national secretary Anupam Hazra were hurt by pieces of stones and shards of glass from the shattered windshields of their cars.
The Centre transferred three Indian Police Service (IPS) officers to other states after the incident. They were in charge of the police arrangements made for Nadda’s trip. The state government, however, refused to comply.
