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The BJP’s mobilisation of such a broad spectrum of national leaders indicates a serious commitment to its outreach efforts
Union Home Minister Amit Shah will inaugurate the Yatra from Raidighi in the South 24 Parganas district. At the same time, Union Minister JP Nadda is slated to launch the campaign in Nadia, while BJP President Nitin Nabin will spearhead the programme’s commencement from Cooch Behar in North Bengal. File pic/X
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to significantly escalate its political presence in West Bengal with the formal launch of the Parivartan Rath Yatra on March 1. This large-scale campaign mobilisation involves a sophisticated multi-pronged strategy, with several of the party’s most senior national figures scheduled to inaugurate the outreach programme simultaneously from geographically diverse corners of the state. By deploying a high-profile leadership cohort across both North and South Bengal, the BJP aims to demonstrate a cohesive and formidable challenge to the ruling dispensation in regions deemed strategically vital for the upcoming electoral contests.
The opening phase of the campaign features an intensive itinerary led by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who will inaugurate the Yatra from Raidighi in the South 24 Parganas district. At the same time, Union Minister JP Nadda is slated to launch the campaign in Nadia, while BJP President Nitin Nabin will spearhead the programme’s commencement from Cooch Behar in North Bengal. This simultaneous launch is designed to ensure maximum visibility and regional penetration from the very first day of the movement.
The momentum is expected to continue into the second day, with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh scheduled to inaugurate events in Howrah before travelling to the politically sensitive area of Sandeshkhali on March 2. Other prominent national leaders are also being integrated into the initial rollout; Dharmendra Pradhan is confirmed to attend a programme in Garbeta, and Annapurna Devi is expected to be present for the Yatra’s launch in Kulti, Asansol. Additionally, Devendra Fadnavis has been tasked with inaugurating the Rath Yatra in Birbhum, further highlighting the party’s reliance on national heavyweights to drive its local narrative.
To ensure comprehensive statewide coverage, the BJP has structured the Parivartan Yatra around nine distinct divisions, or bibhags. This territorial organisation includes Siliguri, Maldah, Nabadwip, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Hooghly, Puruliya, and Burdwan. This systematic approach suggests a desire to address specific regional grievances and engage with local electorates on a more granular level.
While the Trinamool Congress has sought to dismiss the initiative as “election tourism”, the BJP’s mobilisation of such a broad spectrum of national leaders indicates a serious commitment to its outreach efforts. The March 1 launch serves as the official starting gun for what promises to be an intensive period of political campaigning, as the party seeks to shift the state’s political equilibrium through sustained grassroots engagement and high-decibel leadership rallies across the length and breadth of West Bengal.
February 24, 2026, 21:52 IST
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