BJP leaders meet to discuss W. Bengal election strategy

Kolkata, July 19 (ANI): Senior leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) met here on Sunday to chart out their strategy for the upcoming assembly elections.

Arun Jaitley, senior BJP leader, told media persons that voters in Bengal have turned anti-Left in a big way, and was hopeful about capturing some anti- Left votes.

"In 1991 there was a situation when we contested from almost all the seats and we expanded our vote base. We are in search of the very circumstances and want to generate the same for strengthening the base for our party and to get effective representation in the legislative assembly of Bengal and through these issues which we can influence the politics of Bengal this is broadly the agenda that we have made," Jaitley said.

He also spoke about issues that the state is struggling with.

"The halt of development in Bengal and there is a requirement of developmental politics and responsible governance. Also the two sort of anarchical activities that are prevailing here, Maoist activities being one and excessive infiltration being the other, we are worried about these issues and the party will contest from almost all seats in Bengal," Jaitley added.

Apart from state-level leaders of the party, Smriti Irani, chief of the BJP's Women's Cell and Chandan Mitra, a federal lawmaker were present.

The BJP, has marginal presence in the state, but has managed to put a spanner in the works of Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress (TMC).

The West Bengal elections will take place in 2011. (ANI)