KOLKATA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Bengal on February 22 and address a rally in Chinsurah, Hooghly district. Sources in the BJP said Modi’s venue has been selected strategically as his last public rally was in East Midnapore district which is known as an agricultural region and Hooghly’s Chinsurah is known as part of the district’s industrial zone.
Sources in the BJP said Modi had addressed Bengal farmers during his previous visit on February 7 and this time, the Prime Minister will deliver a message on the investment issue in Bengal from a place from where Tata Motors were driven out by the ruling Trinamool Congress.
‘’It was Mamata Banerjee who had spearheaded a movement against alleged forcible land acquisition in Singur, Hooghly and driven out Tata Motors. Since then, Bengal has not any witnessed any investment in the state. Now our party functionaries both national and state-level are promising investment in West Bengal if our party comes to power. The Prime Minister’s Hooghly visit will not only send a message that the BJP is equally focused on farmers’ interest and investment in Bengal issues,’’ said a senior BJP leader.
The saffron camp’s state functionaries have decided to find a venue on the bank of the Hooghly, as the district’s factories are located along the riverside and most of them are closed.
‘’We have identified two places. One is adjoining to Chinsurah court and the other is near the closed Dunlop factory on the outskirts of the district headquarters. ‘’Both the venues are on the bank of the Hooghly. We want the Prime Minister to address the rally from the venue near Dunlop factory. It will send a message highlighting the sorry condition investment in Bengal,’’ said another party leader.
Chinsurah is under Hooghly Lok Sabha constituency which the BJP bagged in 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Singur is located under the constituency.
He also said the party’s Bengal functionaries want Modi and Shah to announce that the party would bring back Tata Motors in Hooghly after wresting power in the state.
The saffron camp has requested the party’s high command for bringing Union Home minister Amit Shah in Singur but they are yet to get a nod from New Delhi.