After Bihar poll war, Modi set to lead BJP’s battle for Bengal

With the Bihar poll war still on, the BJP is gearing up for next year’s ‘Battle for Bengal’ with Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading the charge.

With the Bihar poll war still on, the BJP is gearing up for next year’s ‘Battle for Bengal’ with Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading the charge.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address about a dozen rallies in Kolkata and the districts by early next year. (PTI photo)

In a blitzkrieg campaign, Modi will address about a dozen rallies in Kolkata and the districts by early next year. Kicking off the party’s campaign, BJP president Amit Shah will address a rally in Kolkata on November 30.

“On November 30, we will hold Utthan Divas rally in Kolkata. Our national president Amit Shah will address a mammoth gathering. This will be followed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing a series of rallies in the coming months,” state BJP chief Rahul Sinha said.

“By the time Shah holds his first rally in on November 30, Bihar would be a BJP-ruled state,” Sinha added. He said the party was now just waiting for Shah to give his nod to the campaign blueprint.

Taking a dig at chief minister Mamata Banerjee for asking Bihar voters to support Nitish Kumar, Sinha said the Trinamool was scared that the BJP was heading for a landslide victory in Bihar.

However, the party’s recent fortunes in Bengal have been a mixed bag.

Modi held half-a-dozen rallies in Bengal before the Lok Sabha polls. Later, the party also managed to win an assembly seat in a bypoll, its first on its own strength in the state. But thereafter, the party failed to put up a good show.

“Mamata is desperately trying to find relevance in national politics. Her dream of a Third Front has flopped. Now, she is batting for Nitish Kumar. She is also scared that the wind is in BJP’s favour in Bihar,” Sinha said.