Union Home Minister Amit Shah is on a three-day visit to West Bengal, with a series of political, organisational and ideological meetings lined up as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) steps up preparations for the 2026 Assembly elections.
According to party sources, Shah arrived in Kolkata on Monday evening from Guwahati and headed straight to the BJP office in Salt Lake, where he held a meeting lasting over two hours to review the party’s organisational preparedness for the upcoming polls, PTI reported.
He was briefed by senior leaders on election strategy, booth-level planning and measures to plug gaps ahead of next year’s contest.
After the meeting, Union Minister and BJP leader Sukanta Majumdar asserted that the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress would be voted out in 2026. “This time, the TMC will definitely be voted out,” he said, expressing confidence in a BJP victory.
Majumdar also said leaders briefed Shah on all aspects of poll preparation and reiterated the BJP’s position on the Citizenship Amendment Act, claiming Hindu refugees had nothing to worry about.
Shah was greeted by enthusiastic supporters outside the Salt Lake office, with chants of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and ‘Banchte Chai, BJP Tai’, the BJP’s campaign slogan for the state polls. Party workers showered rose petals on his convoy as he arrived.
Tuesday
On Tuesday, Shah is expected to address a press conference in Kolkata in the morning, where he is likely to respond to questions on national and state politics. He will then chair multiple closed-door meetings with BJP public representatives from Parliament, the Assembly and civic bodies.
Later in the day, Shah is scheduled to hold a crucial closed-door meeting with senior RSS functionaries at the Sangh office in Manicktala. Sources said the meeting, expected to last over two hours, will focus on coordination between the BJP and the RSS, cadre mobilisation and booth-level strategy as the election draws closer.
The Home Minister may also chair additional core committee meetings during his stay.
Wednesday
On Wednesday, Shah is scheduled to visit the Thanthania Kali Bari temple in central Kolkata and address a BJP workers’ meeting at an auditorium in east Kolkata. He may also visit the residence of a prominent Bengali icon before concluding his trip, though that programme is yet to be finalised.
*With PTI inputs
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