After he was denied permission to land his helicopter in West Bengal for a rally, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath is set to attack Mamata Banerjee from the Seemanchal region on Thursday. The region shared its border with West Bengal. Several Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers from neighbouring West Bengal districts such as North Dinajpur, Maldah, Raiganj, are likely to attend Adityanath’s conference, called Shakti Kendra, in Purnia.

Although the Purnia rally was planned before the West Bengal government’s snub, Adityanath is likely to intensify his attack on Banerjee for allegedly her alleged ‘anti-democratic’ and ‘anti-people’ tactics.

Thousands of party workers from four Seemanchal districts — Katihar, Araria, Kishanganj and Purnia — are expected to take part in the conference.

“The denial to land Yogiji’s helicopter has angered the rank and file of the party in the region, and this is why we want to give a befitting reply to the West Bengal government in general and Mamata Banerjee in particular from Seemanchal, who was once part of Bengal,” Purnia BJP spokesperson Anant Bharti said.

More than 20,000 party workers would listen to Adityanath, who would also address a public meeting, said Bharti.

Purnia district in-charge Chandra Bhushan Thakur said “Everybody is shocked at her undemocratic and dictatorial attitude in a democratic nation.”

Meanwhile, Adityanath’s visit to Seemanchal is being seen as an attempt to woo Hindus in the Muslim dominated region, comprising four Lok Sabha seats.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the RJD, Congress, NCP and JD-U had bagged one seat each in Seemanchal.

“This time we want to win on all four seats,” Purnia district party president PR Verma said.

Why Seemanchal is important for BJP

The BJP lost all four seats in Seemanchal in the last LS polls. UP CM’s rally aims to revive BJP fortunes here and launch a scathing attack on Mamata Banerjee

The region has four Lok Sabha (LS) seats

Katihar

Araria

Kishanganj

Purnia

In the last LS polls, the BJP lost all

The RJD, Congress, NCP and JD-U won one seat each

UP CM aims at two birds

Yogi Adityanath wants to woo Hindus in the Muslim-dominated region

After being denied permission to address a rally in West Bengal, he will intensify his attack on CM Mamata Banerjee at Purnia rally on Thursday

He has chosen Seemanchal to attack Banerjee as it shares borders with West Bengal

Many BJP workers from West Bengal will attend the rally

In 2017, people of Purnia named a village after Yogi Adityanath

First Published: Feb 05, 2019 09:34 IST