Kolkata, May 31 (UNI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to visit Kolkata on Sunday, June 1 to participate in a series of major events across the city.
This visit comes at a politically important time, just two days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tour of North Bengal, accentuating the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) focused efforts to consolidate its position ahead of the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections in 2026.
According to the official itinerary, the Home Minister will commence his day at 11:15 am with the inauguration of the new building of the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) located in Rajarhat.
This newly-constructed facility is expected to enhance the forensic capabilities of the region significantly, thereby strengthening the criminal justice system in West Bengal.
Following this, at 2 pm, Amit Shah will attend a ‘Sammelan’ at the Netaji Indoor Stadium where he is supposed to meet the BJP MPs and MLAs and organisational functionaries.
Political insiders suggest that the Sammelan will serve as a platform for the Home Minister to outline the party’s strategy for the forthcoming assembly elections in 2026.
A senior BJP leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, told UNI that the meeting will focus on organisational preparedness and fine-tuning the election roadmap to ensure a stronger performance in the polls.
“Although the election is still nearly a year away, the party is keen to begin preparations early. Our performance in 2021 fell short of expectations, and this time, the party is determined to avoid any mistakes,” the leader added.
Before returning to New Delhi, at 4 pm Shah will visit Swami Vivekananda's Ancestral House and Cultural Centre, where he will pay homage to the great spiritual leader.
Political observers believe that Shah's visit is a sign that the BJP is adopting a more strategic and cautious approach this time around.
“Learning from the lessons of the 2021 elections, the party appears intent on strengthening its organisational base and carefully planning its campaign to better position itself for the challenging electoral battle ahead in West Bengal,” a political observer said.
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