Shah lands in Kolkata, says Bengal ‘ready for change’
Times of India | 30 December 2025
Kolkata: Union home minister Amit Shah, upon arriving in Kolkata on Monday evening for a three-day trip, said Bengal was ready for change. He called upon state BJP netas to remain vigilant against the narrative being built around Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. "I am overwhelmed by the love and affection of party workers," he wrote on X.
BJP workers and supporters had gathered outside Kolkata airport much before Shah's arrival. When Shah arrived, he waved at the gathering while getting into his car. He then suddenly got out of his car and walked towards party workers to speak to them. Members of Bengal BJP said that while it was typical of PM Narendra Modi to meet and greet workers during his visits, they had never seen Shah do the same.
While he interacted with party workers, Shah was flanked by Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya and state leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari.
Shah then left for the party's office in Salt Lake. Bengal BJP had initially planned a bike rally with 1,000 bikes around Shah's convoy. But no such rally was seen on Monday. Netas said the bike rally was cancelled because the home minister's security personnel denied permission. Upon reaching the Salt Lake party office, Shah met several state BJP seniors. He is scheduled to hold multiple meetings over the next two days to get booth-level feedback on the party's preparedness for polls.
"I will have a detailed discussion in the core group meeting on Monday. I will meet MPs, MLAs and party workers the next day," Shah wrote on X. Sources said Shah had taken note of opposition parties' campaign over irregularities and harassment of people during the SIR process and had called upon people to counter these narratives sharply.