Amit Shah on two-day tour of poll-bound West Bengal from Thursday

Home Minister Amit Shah will be on a two-day political tour of poll-bound West Bengal from Thursday during which he will launch the fifth and final phase of the BJP's 'Poriborton Yatra' from the South 24 Parganas district and attend several other programmes.

Shah is also scheduled to eat lunch with a refugee's family in what appears to be an expression of solidarity with the people promised citizenship by the BJP.

On Thursday, the home minister will visit the Bharat Sevashram Sangha at Rash Behari Avenue in Kolkata in the morning followed by a visit to the Kapil Muni Ashram at Gangasagar, an official said.

In the afternoon, Shah will launch the 'Poribartan Yatra' from Namkhana and then have lunch with the family at Narayanpur village. He will also take part in a roadshow at Namkhana.

On Friday, the home minister will pay tributes to martyrs from the state at the national library in Kolkata and attend a media conclave in the city, the official said.

The BJP and ruling Trinamool Congress, headed by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, are spearheading intense election campaign in West Bengal with the saffron party deploying its enviable political machinery to capture power in the state which it has never ruled.

Several Union ministers, MPs and other leaders recognised for their organisational and poll management skills have been roped in by the saffron party to drive its campaign in the state, with special attention on the seats which it considers winnable.

Elections to the 294-seat state assembly are expected to be held in April-May.