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Agencies

Amit Shah kicks-off Bengal visit with special aarti at Bharat Sevashram Sangha in Kolkata
18-February-2021

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Amit Shah on Thursday kicked-off his two-day tour of West Bengal by visiting the Bharat Sevashram Sangha in Kolkata. He performed a special aarti here and met religious leaders. The Bharat Sevashram Sangha was founded in 1917 by Acharya Srimat Swami Pranavanandaji Maharaj. The Sangha has hundreds of ashrams in India and other countries. It is known for community work, helping poor and providing healthcare to those in need.

Today is the first day of Shah's visit to the poll-bound state. Shah will launch the fifth and final phase of the BJP's 'Poriborton Yatra' from the South 24 Parganas district and attend several other programmes. He is also scheduled to eat lunch with a refugee's family at Narayanpur village in what appears to be an expression of solidarity with the people promised citizenship by the BJP. He will also take part in a roadshow at Namkhana.

On Friday, the Union Home minister will pay tributes to martyrs from the state at the national library in Kolkata and attend a media conclave in the city.

The BJP and ruling Trinamool Congress, headed by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, are spearheading intense election campaign in West Bengal with the saffron party deploying its enviable political machinery to capture power in the state which it has never ruled. Several Union ministers, MPs and other leaders recognised for their organisational and poll management skills have been roped in by the saffron party to drive its campaign in the state, with special attention on the seats which it considers winnable.

Elections to the 294-seat state assembly are expected to be held in April-May.