BJP In West Bengal

Banerjee on Sunday had criticised the Centre for issuing income tax notices to several Durga Puja committees here, saying festivals should be exempt from levies

The party's biggest disadvantage in West Bengal is the lack of active members and leaders, and its reliance on crossovers from hostile parties such as the TMC, Congress and Left Front

The apex court had put the BJP's proposed 'Rath Yatras' on hold, but allowed the West Bengal unit of the party to continue with its proposed public rallies and meetings

The announcement by state BJP president Dilip Ghosh comes amid an apex court directive asking the state government to allow the saffron party to hold public meetings

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi asked BJP's West Bengal unit to submit a revised schedule of its proposed 'Rath Yatra' with the authorities and seek necessary approvals

The party was also directed to ensure that the 'Yatras' are conducted abiding by the law and shall not impede normal movement of vehicular traffic

The Calcutta High Court refused permission to the BJP for holding the 'rath yatra' after the West Bengal government refused to allow the event saying it may cause communal tension

Shah said the 'yatras' have not been cancelled, just postponed

The state submitted that it might cause communal tension

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah realised they needed to connect the BJP with provincial symbols and icons

In the last Assembly elections, following the Trinamool Congress' (TMC's) strategy, the party resorted to roping in local celebrities to increase its mass appeal and win seats