BJP president Nadda launches ‘Lokkho Sonar Bangla’ campaign

Taking the party campaign of making ‘Sonar Bangla’ (Golden Bangla) a step further, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president J.P. Nadda on Thursday launched the party’s new outreach programme ‘Lokkho Sonar Bangla’ (Target Golden Bangla).

Under this scheme, announced weeks before the State goes to the polls, the BJP will invite suggestions from March 3 to 20, through boxes that will be made available in all the 294 Assembly segments.

Mr. Nadda, who launched the campaign from the party office in Kolkata, said that along with the 30,000 boxes there would be LED vans where people could give suggestions digitally.

“The BJP wants to work for the development of Bengal. Under the ‘Lokkho Sonar Bengal’ we want suggestions from the people of the State on all kinds of issues,” Mr. Nadda said. The party was seeking suggestion on how to give a push to industry, agriculture, health and religious tourism among other sectors. The BJP president said that the aim of the campaign was to take the State on the path of development, free of corruption.

The campaign is another attempt by the BJP to connect to masses. Prior to this, the party started five “Parivartan Yatra” across the State. During the past several public meetings, the BJP leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had emphasised on the slogan ‘Sonar Bangla’.

“We are at a crucial juncture where the people of West Bengal have to decide whether they want development or they want to side with the culture of corruption and cut money,” Mr. Nadda said. He also emphasised that the “pride of Bengal has to be restored”.

Meanwhile, the BJP leadership has alleged that police denied permission to its ‘parivartan yatra’ in Barrackpore on Thursday. Mr. Nadda is likely to address a public meeting at Barrackpore later in the day.