Modi, Shah postpone Bengal rallies ahead of 'Fani'

The public meetings to be addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah have been postponed by a day in view of the possible devastation by severe cyclonic storm Fani, which may strike Bengal at around midnight on May 3.

The cyclonic storm, currently passing through Odisha about 340 km southwest of Kolkata, has triggered intense rainfall and winds in West Bengal destroying 50 houses in East Midnapore district.

It made landfall on the eastern coast, wreaking havoc in Odisha on Friday morning. The gusty winds blowing at a speed of nearly 200 kmph caused extensive damage to property and brought heavy to very heavy rainfall.

"The two public meetings to be addressed by Prime Minister Modi in Tamlik and Jhargram on May 5, have been rescheduled to May 6. Similarly, the rallies scheduled to be addressed by Amit Shah in Ghatal and Bishnupur on May 6, have been postponed to May 7," BJP General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya told reporters at the party headquarters here.

"BJP believes that election will come and go but when this kind of natural disaster strikes, it is more important for us to serve the people and ensure their safety. All our party leaders and activists here will stop their poll related activities and will work hand in hand with the administration to ensure people's safety," he said.

In a letter to the state government, the saffron party said it has formed control rooms and help centres in eight Bengal districts including North and South 24 Parganas, East and West Midnapore, Jhargram, Howrah, Hoogly and Kolkata that might be worst affected by the cyclonic storm.

"It is time when everyone should act beyond political boundaries ," it added. IANS