Kolkata, Sep 28 (PTI) BJP national president Nitin Nabin on Monday said the long-standing demand for granting national fair status to the Gangasagar Mela will soon be fulfilled.
Nabin visited Gangasagar in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district on the final day of his two-day tour of the state.
He took a dip at the confluence of the Ganga and the Bay of Bengal before offering prayers at the revered Kapil Muni Ashram.
Accompanied by district BJP leaders, Nabin reached Gangasagar around 10 am after flying by helicopter from the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport here.
“The people of Bengal have reposed their faith in the BJP. We will do our best to serve the people under the leadership of CM Suvendu Adhikari,” Nabin said.
Asked about granting national fair status to the Gangasagar Mela, he said, “That demand will soon be fulfilled.”
In July, the West Bengal government had appealed to the Centre to confer ‘Rashtriya Mela’ (National Fair) status on the Gangasagar Mela, which attracts millions of pilgrims, saints and visitors from across the country and abroad, and provide suitable financial and institutional assistance to showcase its cultural legacy.
Nabin’s visit to Gangasagar, reportedly a last-minute addition to his itinerary, was confirmed by the party in a revised schedule issued on Sunday evening.
Following his Gangasagar visit, Nabin was scheduled to leave for Lok Sanskriti Bhawan in Sodepur in North 24 Parganas district, where he, along with Adhikari, would participate in the ‘Angan Ka Milan’ seva programme.
He is also scheduled to attend the ‘Yuva Samvad Conclave’ at the Space Circle Club in Kolkata later in the day before departing for Delhi.
Nabin’s visit to West Bengal, his first since the BJP came to power in the state, comes days after the party’s state unit announced a major organisational reshuffle, including changes in the leadership of its Mahila Morcha and Yuva Morcha and in seven organisational districts.
His visit, ahead of elections to seven key civic bodies in the state, including the Kolkata and Howrah municipal corporations, which are likely to be held in November-end, assumes significance for the party’s organisational consolidation and poll preparedness.
On Sunday, Nabin held a series of meetings with state office-bearers, district leaders, MPs, MLAs, ministers and other functionaries, with focus on strengthening coordination between the party organisation and elected representatives.
State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya had said Nabin stressed the need for greater coordination between the party organisation, elected representatives and the state government, while asking party workers not to interfere in the functioning of the Council of Ministers. PTI SMY ACD SMY MNB
