Nitin Nabin Plans November 2 Bengal Visit for Civic Poll Strategy

West Bengal's political temperature is rising as BJP National President Nitin Nabin prepares for a visit to the state next week. The trip comes ahead of municipal elections in Kolkata and Howrah, with the party focusing on strategy, candidate selection and organisational readiness.

Seven civic bodies, including the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and the Howrah Municipal Corporation, were initially expected to go to polls in the final week of November. Results had been anticipated in the first week of December. Speculation over potential candidates has grown, prompting the BJP to accelerate its preparations.

According to party sources, Nitin Nabin, who is also a Rajya Sabha MP, will arrive in Kolkata on November 2. He is scheduled to hold wide-ranging discussions with senior state leaders covering election planning, organisational work and the procedure for finalising nominees.

Earlier, the party had signalled that the national president would travel to Bengal before Kali Puja, but no specific date had been locked in. The state unit has now confirmed the November 2 schedule.

Nabin had visited the state in late September, spending two days holding meetings with BJP leaders. The upcoming visit is expected to concentrate on the strategy for the Kolkata and Howrah civic polls, the final shortlisting of candidates and booth-level preparations.

Sources said the party plans to field its civic election campaign with the same seriousness and organisational preparation it displayed during the assembly polls earlier this year. The BJP has also ruled out any tie-up or seat-sharing deal with the National Citizen Party of India (NCPI).

Nabin had been in Goa for a two-day visit and returned to Delhi on Wednesday, where he was to participate in a march held under the party's 'Lok Tantra Bachao' campaign.