BJP to launch jail bharo programme in Bengal

New Delhi, Nov 16: With the Centre under attack over the issue of intolerance, BJP will seek to corner Trinamool Congress in Parliament over the similar charge citing a number of incidents in West Bengal as it looks to firm up its electoral plans for the state going to the polls early next year.

The party will also launch a 'jail-bharo' programme in the state between December 7-14 and hold two big rallies, a party office-bearer seized of the strategy told reporters.

Speaking about the party's plan to take up the issue of the TMC government's "intolerance", BJP secretary Sidharth Nath Singh said "the charge protests against us over intolerance is manufactured but what we are saying against the West Bengal government is real".

He referred to killing of Dalits in Nadia district and alleged denial by a section of people to holding of Durga Puja in a state locality.

In a state where the BJP does not have many well-known faces, it will also give an important place to Roopa Ganguly, an actor of Mahabharat fame who later joined the party.

The party is also weighing the pros and cons of announcing a chief ministerial candidate to take on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and no decision has been taken yet, sources said.

Many believe that the party should do so, more so after it suffered a big loss in Bihar where it was accused of ignoring local leaders.

Working to bounce back in a state where it has fared poorly after notching up impressive vote share in the 2014 Lok Sabha poll, BJP will also plan a campaign around that a vote for the Left will be a vote for the TMC. The CPI(M)-led Left front is the main opposition to the TMC.

PTI