Amit Shah defers visit to Bengal

Union Home Minister Amit Shah's two-day Kolkata visit that was scheduled to begin tomorrow has been cancelled. Earlier, Amit Shah was scheduled to address two rallies in West Bengal on Saturday and Sunday.

New Delhi:Home Minister Amit Shah has postponed his visit to West Bengal amid farmers' protest at Delhi's borders.

Sources did not give the reason for the deferment of his trip during which he was to address two rallies on Saturday and Sunday, but it comes as farmers have intensified their protests against three farm laws amid incidents of clashes with "locals" at some places.

Shah was to attend several programmes as the BJP steps up its campaign in the state where assembly elections are expected to be held in April-May.

More politicians from the state's ruling Trinamool Congress and other parties were expected to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during Shah's high-profile visit to Bengal. He was slated to land at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) airport at around 11 pm.

During Shah's last visit to Bengal, rebel Trinamool Congress leader and ex-state Transport Minister Suvendu Adhikari had joined the BJP on December 19.

Shah was scheduled to go to Mayapur in Nadia district to visit International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) on Saturday. He was also scheduled to address a rally in North 24-Parganas' Thakurnagar area which is dominated by the Matua community.

On January 31, Shah was slated to visit Bharat Sevashram Sangh in Kolkata and hold rally at Dumurjala stadium in Kolkata's twin Howrah district where a few more political leaders were expected to join the BJP ahead of the polls scheduled tentatively in April-May.

PTI