Nadda cancels scheduled rally in Bengal

Kolkata: The public meeting of BJP's national president JP Nadda that was scheduled to be held at Serampore Stadium on Monday morning was cancelled. The reason being, as claimed by Trinamool Congress, was poor turnout of people.

BJP leadership, however, claimed that the rally was cancelled as he failed to reach due to a snag in his chopper.

Nadda was scheduled to campaign at the public rally at Serampore in favour of his party's candidates from Serampore, Chanditala, Chanpdani and Uttarpara Assembly constituencies.

Taking a dig at BJP in this connection, Trinamool Congress MP from Serampore Kalyan Banerjee said: "The chopper of Nadda ji did not land to address at Serampore Stadium today finding that only 500 people assembled to listen to him."

The programme was about to start at around 11 am. But no such turnout of people was found at Serampore Stadium. After around an hour, BJP's Serampore organisational district president Shyamal Basu announced that Nadda will be leaving an audio message.

Later, BJP leader Sayantan Basu announced that the party's national president would soon visit the place to address the meeting. Two different announcements led to confusion among the party workers. The handful of party supporters, who gathered to listen to Nadda, was found gradually leaving the place. At one time, Nadda's security personnel also left the place.

Later in the evening Nadda held a roadshow from Tollygunge Tram Depot to Garia crossing in support of BJP's candidate from Tollygunge Babul Supriyo and Behala East's candidate Payel Sarkar.

It needs a mention that though BJP had managed to bag one (Hooghly Lok Sabha) seats out of three, it left a dent in Serampore and Arambagh Assembly constituencies. Nadda's meeting was in the jurisdiction of Serampore Lok Sabha constituency where Trinamool Congress had won by 98,536 votes in the 2019 Parliament election.