West Bengal Elections: Footballer Arindam Bhattacharya joins BJP ahead of 5th phase

Bengali footballer Arindam Bhattacharya on Tuesday, ahead of the fifth phase of the assembly elections, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in Kolkata. The footballer, who is associated with the Mohun Bagan team, joined the saffron party, in presence of party leader Mithun Chakraborty and BJP IT in-charge Amit Malviya in Kolkata.

Speaking to the media, Amit Malviya said, "Football is very important for the sporting culture of Bengal and has an iconic status. Arindam Bhattacharya is the goalkeeper and captain of Mohun Bagan team, and he has formally joined the BJP today."

This development comes just a day after the saffron party decided to ramp up its campaign strategy in the 40 seats spread across the greater Kolkata region. The BJP is said to organise a massive public outreach campaign by organising more than 2000 mini sabhas in order to reach out to the different communities of Kolkata for which various national and local leaders will participate. This massive effort is being taken to share the vision of the BJP for Kolkata and the State.

According to sources, an internal survey of the saffron party revealed that the party cadre has strengthened the party's presence in the rural regions of the State but the party is required to put in more efforts in the urban and metropolitan areas. Hence, a different strategy, more of one to one contact and personalised communication, will be conducted by the BJP in the metropolitan as well as other semi-urban areas.

This aggressive campaigning has been planned by the BJP despite the back to back public rallies and roadshows held by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP National President JP Nadda and others inducing thousands of people to attend the rallies in large numbers.

While four phases of the Assembly elections have been concluded, the polling for the remaining phases in West Bengal will take place on April 17, April 22, April 26 and April 29. The declaration of the results will take place on May 2. The state has been reeling under political violence with hundreds of workers of both parties combined have been killed. BJP has claimed more than 130 of its workers have been killed for which it has held TMC responsible.