Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to kickstart his West Bengal campaign on Friday

To amplify the BJP's campaign and give a boost to its ongoing Poribortan in the State, defence minister Rajnath Singh will head to Bengal on Friday and address a public meeting in Balurghat in the border district of Dakshin Dinajpur.
West Bengal that is witnessing a fierce campaign battle between BJP and TMC has seen many senior ministers visit the State in the last few days, particularly to participate in the ongoing Poriborton yatra. While ministers such as Mansukh Mandavia, Gajendra Shekhawat and Prahlad Patel have been given election responsibilities in the State by the party, home minister Amit Shah too has been making regular visits here.

This will be the defence minister's first political rally in Bengal this poll season. He addressed BJP's yuva morcha workers in Salem in Tamil Nadu, another poll-bound state on Sunday.

Dakshin Dinajpur is among the districts most prone to infiltration from Bangladesh. The BJP has been raising this as a security concern as part of its campaign, while the TMC has pinned the blame on the centre as safeguarding borders is responsibility of the BSF under the centre.

Balurghat BJP MP Sukanta Majumdar pointed out that many Bangladeshi immigrants cross over to this side and many keep regularly going back and forth.

"Apart from being the defence minister Rajnathji is also a senior leader of our party. We are committed to ending illegal infiltration and his assurances will help to convince people."

"People of Balurghat were not allowed to vote in the last state rural body elections. Corruption and lack of jobs are main issues here," he said.

"Youth from here work in every other State of the country. Since it is a landlocked district, we are surrounded by Bangladesh on three sides. There is no industry here. We want some industrialisation to come up at least in Asansol or nearby areas so that youth can have options of employment within the State," he added.