BJP cancels PM Modi’s rally in Kolkata citing ‘present circumstances’

After Mamata Banerjee’s mega anti-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rally, the saffron party announced on Monday that it has cancelled Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proposed rally at the Brigade Parade Ground, the historic protest ground in Kolkata, on February 8.

Modi will instead address a public meeting in Asansol the same day, according to state BJP chief Dilip Ghosh. He said that the Prime Minister will initially attend three rallies in West Bengal starting next week.

It’s important to note here that the parade ground was the venue for the massive Opposition rally led by Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Saturday, January 19. About 25 leaders of Opposition parties had attended the rally which was seen as an effort to unite against the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

The massive turnout at the opposition rally may have made the BJP re-think its plans. “Our central leaders are unsure whether a large enough crowd could be ensured to fill the Brigade Parade Grounds at such short notice…. We are postponing our February 8 meeting there,” Ghosh was quoted as saying by The Telegraph. "They have asked us to hold public meetings in districts because a Brigade rally cannot be organised under the present circumstances, and at such short notice.”

Ghosh said that Modi will address a public meeting in Siliguri on January 28, another in Bongaon in North 24 Parganas district on January 31 and a rally in Asansol on February 8. He added that the party will organise a rally at Brigade Parade Ground later.

The state BJP will kick-start its Lok Sabha polls campaign in the state from Tuesday, with a rally of party president Amit Shah in Malda district. Shah will be addressing two other rallies at Jhargram and Suri in Birbhum district on Wednesday.

The party said it has received clearance to land party president Amit Shah's chopper at two places in Malda region, putting an end to a raging controversy over the Mamata Banerjee government allegedly denying permission in this regard.

The BJP is planning to hold 35 rallies in the state in preparation for their target list of winning 22 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal.