bollywood actor Mithun Chakraborty Joins BJP
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Kolkata this afternoon to address a massive rally_ his first in the state after the Assembly poll dates were announced last week. The anticipation over his visit was only fueled further by popular actor Mithun Chakraborty's presence at the venue. The star joined the BJP shortly before the main event began at the city's Brigade Parade Ground.
Mithun Chakraborty joined the BJP at coined a new slogan "I'm a cobra_ one bite is enough"_ sending the massive crowd into raptures.
The Prime Minister landed in the city around 2pm_ though the massive crowd had gathered at the venue hours before.
Mithun Chakraborty's joining the BJP came at the end of much speculation even over his attendance at the event. "I have spoken with him (Mr Chakraborty) over the telephone_ he's going to come today. I will be able to make a comment only after a detailed discussion with him_" Kailash Vijayavargiya_ the party's state in-charge who had met up with the star yesterday at his residence in the state capital's Belgachia locality_ had said.
Apart from Mr Vijayavargiya_ other BJP functionaries supervising the rally include National Vice-President Mukul Roy_ General Secretary Sanjay Singh_ and Rajya Sabha Swapan Dasgupta.
Over 1_500 CCTV cameras have been installed across the city for security purposes. Drone cameras will also be used to monitor the venue. The rally is expected to be attended by at least 7 lakh people_ sources told ANI. Three main barricades have been strategically placed toward the main stage for security purpose. Barricades and a helipad has been created at the Race Course near the Brigade Ground.
This is likely to be the first of the Prime Minister's 20-odd rallies across the state in the run-up to the polls_ BJP sources informed ANI. It comes a day after the party announced its first list of 57 candidates for the polls and two days after incumbent Trinamool Congress announced its own 291 candidates_ leaving three for its ally Gorkha Janmukti Morcha.
Elections to West Bengal's 294-seat Assembly are scheduled to be held in eight phases from March 27 to April 29 and the results will be declared on May 2.
After winning three seats in the 2016 Assembly election_ the BJP had made deep inroads into the state by the 2019 Lok Sabha elections_ winning 18 of the 42 seats and reducing Trinamool's numbers to 22. The Congress won two while the Left got none.
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