BJP chief Nadda's Bengal visit postponed by a day; to now begin on Dec 9

BJP chief J P Nadda's scheduled

two-day visit to West Bengal to take stock of party activities has been postponed by a day and will now begin on December 9, party sources said on Sunday.

Nadda will assess the party's plans and preparations for the upcoming assembly elections in Kolkata and South 24 Parganas districts on December 9 and 10 respectively, a state BJP leader said.

"Nadda Ji was scheduled to visit the state from December 8. But in a late-night development, his schedule has now changed and he will arrive in West Bengal on December 9 and hold a meeting with party leaders.

"On December 10, he is scheduled to visit Diamond Harbour in South 24 Parganas district to meet fishermen," BJP national general secretary and the party's West Bengal minder Kailash Vijayvargiya said.

The BJP chief is also likely to address a party programme in Kolkata's Bhawanipore area, considered as the backyard of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, party sources said.

BJP state chief Dilip Ghosh had last month said that Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Nadda will visit West Bengal every month till the assembly elections, due in April-May next year, are over.

Nadda had paid a day-long visit to north Bengal in October, while Shah was in the state for two days in November.

After having a limited presence in the politically polarised state for decades, the BJP emerged as the main rival of the ruling TMC in the 2019 general election, winning 18 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal.

With the saffron party growing from strength to strength in the state over the last few years, its leaders are upbeat that the party will be able to end Banerjee's 10-year rule.