BJP chief JP Nadda, who flagged off the second phase of party’s ‘Parivartan Yatra’ from Tarapith in West Bengal’s Birbhum district, returned without attending a scheduled event in Jhargram due to low turnout on Tuesday.

According to ABP Ananda, Nadda reached the location after attending a rally in Lalgarh. However, without going up at the dais, BJP’s national president waited for half an hour at a nearby party office.

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While Nadda stationed himself, most of the chairs remained empty at the ground where the cultural event was organised by the BJP. The saffron party leader finally left after expected crowd did not gather at the programme.

The local BJP leadership claimed that the event did not go as planned due to the absence of the artists who were supposed to perform. The hindutva party said that the performers were stuck in heavy traffic.

Bengal BJP leader Raju Banerjee said, “The artists could not make it to the Adivasi cultural programme as they were trapped in traffic caused by our huge ‘Paribartan Yatra’ rally in Lalgarh.”

“Also Nadda ji had an important meeting scheduled afterwards and we got to know that the cultural team would not be able to make it. So he left,” Banerjee added.

Meanwhile, earlier on Tuesday, Nadda attacked the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC saying that the “cut money government” will be defeated by people in the upcoming assembly elections.

“Under Mamata Banerjee’s rule, the rich culture and heritage of West Bengal are under threat. Only the BJP can protect these. The insider-outsider culture is not the real culture of Bengal.

Nadda also said Banerjee has “problems” with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders coming to Bengal.

“A few days back, the prime minister came to Haldia and inaugurated a project. Mamata ji, PM will come and bring development projects to Bengal. The central government wants such projects in Bengal. It is your government which is creating hurdles… Mamata ji doesn’t want development. The TMC is only interested in politics,” he said.

The BJP president alleged that only the ruling TMC leaders have benefited under Banerjee, and even funds meant for relief in the aftermath of cyclone Amphan, were misappropriated by them.

“The Trinamool Congress is pitting people against one another by branding them as outsiders. This is shameful. It is not the culture of the land of Swami Vivekananda, Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore,” Nadda said.

With PTI inputs