Howrah, 01 September (H.S.): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has intensified its preparations for the upcoming Howrah Municipal Corporation elections, with the party deciding to prepare a separate manifesto specifically for Howrah. The proposed manifesto will incorporate suggestions and recommendations from eminent citizens of the city.

A special organisational meeting on the Howrah municipal elections was held by the Howrah district BJP on Monday under the leadership of Rajya Sabha MP Rahul Sinha, who has been given responsibility for the party’s municipal election preparations in Howrah. Mandal presidents and other organisational functionaries attended the meeting.

Speaking after the meeting, Rahul Sinha said the BJP would approach eminent citizens of Howrah and visit their homes to seek suggestions on what should be done for the city’s development and what issues should be included in the manifesto.

He said that although it would formally be a BJP manifesto, “in reality, it will be a people’s manifesto”, with citizens being given an opportunity to put forward their views and priorities.

Following delimitation, the number of wards in the Howrah Municipal Corporation has increased from 50 to 68. The BJP has formed organisational committees in all 68 wards, including separate ward and election committees.

The party has also begun preparing a ward-wise charge sheet, highlighting problems faced by residents and alleged shortcomings in development. Rahul Sinha said a separate charge sheet would be published for every ward, detailing how each area has allegedly been neglected.

Rahul Sinha said the BJP’s commitment was to transform Howrah into a model municipal corporation. He also reiterated the party’s ‘triple-engine government’ pitch, saying that if the municipal administration is aligned with the state and central governments, development in Howrah would accelerate.

He said BJP workers would reach out to residents across the city and seek their support for establishing a “triple-engine government.”

Taking a swipe at the Trinamool Congress, Sinha alleged that Howrah Municipal Corporation had remained neglected for a long time. He claimed that the Trinamool had avoided holding municipal elections for political reasons, fearing defeat.

The Trinamool Congress is yet to respond on the BJP's allegations.

Sinha also outlined the party’s criteria for selecting candidates for the upcoming municipal polls. He said preference would be given to those who are known among local residents, understand the issues of their respective wards and have a clean public image.

With the BJP stepping up organisational activities in Howrah, the party is now focusing on a ward-level strategy, citizen consultations and local development issues ahead of the municipal elections.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey