BJP reschedules 'rath yatra', to be led by Shah, in Bengal

The central leadership of the BJP has deferred a "rath yatra", to be led by its chief Amit Shah, in West Bengal by two days in view of the party's Assembly election campaigns in other states, sources in the saffron party said.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state general secretary Sayantan Basu said Shah will now kick off the "yatra" on December 5, instead of December 3, from the temple town of Tarapith in Birbhum.

Five states -- Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Telangana and Chhattisgarh -- are set to go to the polls between November 12 and December 7.

"Taking the Assembly polls into consideration, the party has decided to reschedule the dates for the rath yatra in the state," a senior BJP leader said.

The "yatra" will be taken to all the 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state -- three chariots covering 14 seats each -- he added.

Sharing the programme details, Basu told PTI, "The first rally will begin from Birbhum on December 5. The second and third rallies will start from Coochbehar district in the north and Gangasagar in the south on December 7 and 9 respectively. Amit Shahji will be present at all the three rallies."