BJP outreach exercise: Shah in Chandigarh to meet SAD's Parkash Badal, 2 sports legends

BJP president Amit Shah arrived here today on a day-long visit during which he will meet SAD patriarch Parkash Singh Badal and two sports legends as part of his party's "contact for support" campaign ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Shah will visit the residence of former Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal here, a Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader said.

Few senior SAD leaders, including Sukhbir Singh Badal and Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, will be present during the meet, the leader said.

Shah will visit the BJP office here and later in the day, he will meet 94-year-old hockey legend Balbir Singh Sr and legendary athlete Milkha Singh (85). He will meet them separately at their residences, a BJP spokesman said.

The BJP president will also visit a Gurdwara in Sector 44, he said.

On his arrival at the airport, Shah was welcomed by the BJP leaders and workers.

Chandigarh BJP chief Sanjay Tandon and party senior leader Swaran Salaria were among those at the airport who received Shah, whose arrival was slightly delayed.

The BJP has launched the 'sampark for samarthan' (contact for support) exercise to mark the fourth anniversary of the Modi government as it prepares for the 2019 polls.

Around 4,000 BJP functionaries, including chief ministers and Union ministers, will contact one lakh people, who are recognised names in their fields, to inform them about the government's achievements.

In August last year, Shah was on a three-day visit to Haryana. He had held a series of meetings and reviewed works undertaken by the Manohar Lal Khattar government.

The BJP chief had also visited Chandigarh in May last year.