Amit Shah in Mumbai on 3-day visit

Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah arrived on a much-anticipated three-day visit to the city on Friday, the highlight of which will be a meeting with ally Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray.

He was received at the Mumbai airport by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his cabinet colleagues, BJP state President Raosaheb Danve, BJP city chief Ashish Shelar, party MPs and MLAs, and a massive crowd of enthusiastic party activists.

Though his agenda is being kept under wraps, speculation is rife on whether he would discuss the prospects of a snap mid-term poll in the state.

The political atmosphere in the state is highly charged with the recent farmers agitation, an increasingly confrontationist ally, a belligerent opposition and even pressure from within party ranks.

According to sources, the party may consider the idea of jumping into a mid-term poll coinciding with the crucial assembly elections due in neighbouring Gujarat by the year-end.

On record, the party has declared it is "ready" for a snap poll tomorrow and is supremely confident of romping back to power independently.

Shah is currently on a three-month nationwide tour covering all states to take stock and strengthen the party organisation across India, as part of the three-year celebrations of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in power under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In Mumbai, he is expected to hold a series of meetings starting with Fadnavis and his cabinet ministers at 'Varsha' the Chief Minister's official residence, with state legislators and MPs at Sahyadri Guest House, and party leaders and activists at the Garware Club involving top and lower rung cadres.

Besides, he will meet leaders of the allies including Thackeray with whom he is expected to discuss and solicit Shiv Sena support for the upcoming Presidential elections.

He will also meet top leaders of (allies) Republican Party of India (A), Rashtriya Samaj Party, Shivsangram Party and Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana to ascertain their views on various political issues.

--IANS

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