BJP national president Amit Shah has deferred his upcoming trip to Kolkata for a week to August 11, according to a statement from the party. Amit Shah, instead, is all set to head to Maharashtra on August 3 to boost the party after its alliance with Shiv Sena is headed for a break-up.
"The party president would be busy holding a series of meetings in Maharashtra. So, he would not be able to make it to Kolkata on that day,” said a national leader from the BJP. On August 3, sources added, Amit Shah would attend Parliament in the first half after which he is expected to fly to Mumbai. Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha seats, while West Bengal has 42.
While the BJP explained that Amit Shah had himself postponed the trip due to some preoccupations in “another” state, sources have confirmed that the visit was deferred after the party failed to get a permission from the West Bengal government to hold a rally in Kolkata. With just a week left for the proposed date and looming uncertainty, many have started questioning the necessity of holding a public rally. "At this stage, it would be improper for Amitji to come and attend a rally that would be an answer to Mamata Banerjee's rally on July 21,” said a party leader in West Bengal.
Biswapriya Roy Choudhury, vice-president of the BJP in West Bengal, said the party has proposed five places to Kolkata police for permission. "But they are yet to grant the permission. If they don't give the permission, Amitji would come on August 11. That's final. We will then hold a big rally taking permission from people rather than the government. It would be a big rally," said Roychowdhury told THE WEEK.
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In the wake of an accident during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in Midnapore recently, a team of senior BJP leaders, including organistion secretary Shiv Kumar, are closely monitoring the preparations for Amit Shah's public meeting in Kolkata. Around 90 people were injured after a tent collapsed during Modi's rally.
Amit Shah had recently lambasted the West Bengal BJP for its lack of preparedness in facilitating a smooth rally for Narendra Modi in Midnapore. A report sent to the party headquarters in Delhi by state BJP president Dilip Ghosh over the incident failed to satisfy the national party president and other senior leaders. Post the incident, it was decided that senior leaders from the central leadership would personally monitor the preparedness of similar meetings.
Amit Shah has asked Shiv Prakash to personally look into the preparations of party meetings in future after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee mocked the incident. "How can they build a nation, when they cannot even build a tent?” Mamata Banerjee had asked at a rally later.