Bengal BJP’s 9 ‘Parivartan Yatras’ to crisscross state, kickoff on March 1

Mayapur (Nadia): A day ahead of Union home minister Amit Shah's visit to the ISKCON temple in Mayapur, Bengal BJP on Tuesday announced its "Parivartan Yatra" schedule, crisscrossing Bengal's 294 assembly segments.The events will begin on March 1 and end later during the month, with PM Narendra Modi addressing the concluding rally at the Brigade Parade Grounds.
Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya said the nine-phase yatras will be organised and they would be inaugurated by nine BJP seniors, including Shah, senior cabinet ministers Rajnath Singh, JP Nadda, Dharmendra Pradhan and Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, BJP president Nitin Nabin and Smriti Irani.Bengal BJP will hold 64 big public rallies and 300 smaller rallies along the yatra routes. In Kolkata's 29 assembly segments, there will be tableaux and campaigns, Bhattacharya said.Even as internal discussions reportedly touched upon convoy-style campaign vehicles, state netas stressed that the initiative should not be interpreted as a Rath Yatra, a format that has historically triggered legal and political controversy in Bengal.Bhattacharya said the "Parivartan Yatra" was distinct from traditional Rath yatras. On a lighter note, he said: "We are actually scared to use the word Rath after the way Lord Jagannath was dragged from Puri to Digha."In the first phase on March 1, the yatras will start from Cooch Behar, Krishnanagar, Kulti, Garbeta and Raidighi. On March 2, the yatras will start from Islampore, Sandeshkhali, Hasan and Amta."Due to Dol, we will pause this programme on March 3 and 4. It will resume again on March 5. We expect the nine yatras will traverse 5,000 km and cover all assembly segments in Bengal. Once the yatras pass, we will start campaigning for the Brigade rally the very next day," the Bengal BJP chief said.Asked about the specifics of Modi's Brigade rally, Bhattacharya said: "We have started coordinating with the authorities on this. We will communicate the dates later." He added that which senior BJP neta will lead which yatra would be announced later.Drawing a line from the end of Left Front rule to the present, Bhattacharya argued that voters who once backed Trinamool to end cadre-based politics were now finding themselves disappointed amid allegations of corruption and shrinking democratic space."After 34 years of Left rule, people wanted democracy and development. But 15 years later, there is a growing demand to reassess what was actually delivered," he said, claiming that rural voters and marginalised communities were increasingly dissatisfied.Meanwhile, security was tightened ahead of Shah's scheduled visit to the ISKCON temple in Mayapur to attend the 152nd birth anniversary celebrations of Gaudiya Vaishnava leader Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur.According to administrative sources, a multi-layered security has been deployed from the temporary helipad to the temple complex. While senior police officials were conducting on-ground inspections, a special security team from New Delhi has arrived to coordinate the arrangements.ISKCON authorities said Shah will travel by road from the helipad to Shakti Bhavan, where he is expected to offer prayers to the deities of Radha-Madhava and Pancha-Tattva. He may also participate in the temple's ‘arati' ceremony, followed by an interaction with monks and participation in the main commemorative programme.As per schedule, Shah will reach Kolkata around noon and proceed to Mayapur by helicopter. He is expected to return to Kolkata later in the afternoon.(Written with inputs from agencies)