Home Minister Amit Shah to unveil BJP's manifesto for West Bengal elections on March 21

Union Home Minister Amit Shah is all set to unveil Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) manifesto for the upcoming West Bengal assembly elections, on Sunday. As a part of the Marathon Election campaign, Shah is scheduled to visit the poll-bound state and is expected to release a manifesto that will be aimed to benefit 'all sections of society'.

Before holding a meeting with the party's district officials, Shah will address a rally at Pallighai school ground at Egra in Kanthi, and release the manifesto later in the day at an event at the Eastern Zonal Cultural centre. 

BJP's manifesto promises to turn Bengal into 'International Commerce Hub'

According to ANI,  the manifesto will make promises to develop West Bengal as an international trading and commerce hub. The state's road and rail network plays a strategic role in its development because of the borders it shares with Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan, and the party is likely to promise citizens of new and improved road networks and rail connections with its international neighbours.

"Under the left and later under TMC, this potential was not realized. We will change this and ensure that West Bengal becomes one of the fastest-growing states in the country. The state shares borders with Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal and has potential that has not been exploited to make the state prosper," a senior BJP leader stated that West Bengal has a huge potential for development as an international Commerce hub.

West Bengal elections 2021

The West Bengal Assembly with 294 seats will also go to the polls from May 2, 2021. CM Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress holds 222 seats at present. However, BJP has made major inroads in the state in the Lok Sabha elections winning 18 seats out of 42 and establishing itself as the major opposition force in the state. The BJP is using its booth-level strategy and has regularly dispatched its top leaders including Amit Shah and JP Nadda in the state for winning the upcoming elections, with the Prime Minister also addressing mega-rallies there in recent weeks. The party has also been inducting a number of major TMC leaders on a regular basis and plans to hold at least 1500 rallies and assorted road-shows in total. 

Elections to the 294 seats in West Bengal will be held in 8 phases across 1,01,916 polling stations, announced the EC. The counting of votes will take place on May 2. 

• 1st phase- 30 constituencies. Date of polling- March 27
• 2nd phase- 30 constituencies. Date of polling- April 1
• 3rd phase- 31 constituencies. Date of polling- April 6
• 4th phase- 44 constituencies. Date of polling- April 10
• 5th phase- 45 constituencies. Date of polling- April 17
• 6th phase- 43 constituencies. Date of polling- April 22
• 7th phase- 36 constituencies. Date of polling- April 26
• 8th phase- 35 constituencies. Date of polling- April 29