Kolkata

Thousands of supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) began arriving in Kolkata from different parts of West Bengal since Saturday morning ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mega rally at the iconic Brigade Parade Ground.

Modi is scheduled to visit the state later in the day to address the rally and inaugurate development projects worth about ₹18,680 crore. This will be his first visit to West Bengal since the publication of the revised electoral rolls following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise on February 28.

The rally, organised by the BJP, will mark the culmination of the party’s statewide ‘Parivartan Yatra’ campaign ahead of the upcoming assembly elections.

Party workers from across north and south Bengal began reaching the city early in the morning, with large groups arriving at Howrah Railway Station and Sealdah Railway Station.

Trains from several districts, including Burdwan, Malda and Hooghly, as well as districts in North Bengal, brought large contingents of party supporters who were received by BJP volunteers at the railway station exits. The party has also arranged vegetarian breakfast for the workers.

Supporters are expected to march towards the Maidan area via Mahatma Gandhi Road and Chittaranjan Avenue.

A large number of private buses from Purba Medinipur, Hooghly and South 24 Parganas are also expected to bring supporters to the city.

The stage at the Brigade Parade Ground has been designed as an 80-foot-wide replica of the Dakshineswar Kali Temple. A massive cutout carrying the slogan “Paltano Darkar, Chai BJP Sarkar” (Change is needed, we want a BJP government) has been placed in front of the stage.

The rally venue has seating arrangements for around 40,000–42,000 people. According to organisers, around 10,000 party flags, 500 flex banners and 50 large cutouts have been installed at the venue. More than a dozen balloons featuring the BJP’s lotus symbol and the prime minister’s image are also expected to be released.

Nearly 3,000 police personnel have been deployed in a multi-layered security arrangement around the venue, officials said. The Special Protection Group (SPG) is overseeing security at the main venue, while special police units are monitoring crowd movement.

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Meanwhile, some billboards and hoardings carrying slogans such as “Boycott BJP” and “Go Back Modi” have also appeared at several locations in the city.