Shah to address rallies for Dilip Ghosh, Amrita Ray

Photo: Union Home Minister and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah (Photo:ANI)


Union home minister Amit Shah will hold organizational meeting and join rallies in the state tomorrow.

Ahead of the third phase of voting, the BJP’s campaign in Bengal is gaining momentum. Amit Shah will arrive in the state tomorrow night to hold an organizational meeting. On Monday, a rally in support of BJP candidate Dilip Ghosh will be held in Durgapur. Afterwards, Amit Shah will campaign in support of BJP MP candidate Amrita Ray in Krishnanagar.

On Wednesday, J P Nadda will hold rallies and roadshows in Bankura, Birbhum, and Asansol. Narendra Modi will campaign in Arambagh on 12 May. Before the fourth phase of voting on 10 May, the Union home minister will visit Bengal again. Rallies and roadshows will be held in Ranaghat, Birbhum, and Howrah. This time, helicopter arrangements have been made for the convenience of BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar’s campaign across the state.

Meanwhile, Election Commission of India (ECI) sources said that the number of central forces will be increased for the fifth phase of election in the state. The fifth phase of elections will be held on 20 May in seven constituencies of the state. There will be 750 companies of central forces deployed in these seven Lok Sabha constituencies. The Election Commission has informed that in the inter-state movement, 574 companies of central forces will be deployed in these seven constituencies. Among them, there are 143 companies of CRPF, 288 companies of BSF, 31 companies of CISF, and 56 companies of ITBP personnel.

Additionally, 51 companies of SSB personnel will be deployed, along with 14 companies of RAF being utilized.

On 7 May, elections are scheduled in Murshidabad. Just three days before that, a significant amount of bombs were recovered from at least three locations in Murshidabad, along with bomb-making materials. According to confidential sources, on Saturday night, a joint operation was conducted by the Special Task Force (STF) of the police and state police in the areas of Forajipara Maidan, Khidirpara, and Rajpur crematorium. At least 20 socket bombs were recovered. The recovered items included plastic barrels, nylon bags containing socket bombs, and bomb-making materials. The operation also revealed half-prepared socket bombs, explosive materials, marble pieces, nails, and stones.

After the recovery of the bombs, the police have intensified security in the three areas. The bomb squad has been informed. Meanwhile, on Saturday morning, three socket bombs were recovered from an area under the jurisdiction of the Jalangi police station in Murshidabad. The police have cordoned off the area. The police are investigating who placed these bombs.