BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda arrived in Agartala on Friday evening on his two-day visit to celebrate the nine-year completion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi government as well as to give a push to the party’s preparation for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha, state President Rajib Bhattacharjee, Union Minister of state Pratima Bhowmik, former Chief Minister and Rajya Sabha MP Biplab Kumar Deb, former Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Dev Varma, Minister Tinku Roy, BJP general secretary Papiya Datta and other leaders of the party including BJP’s Northeast Coordinator Sambit Patra received him at the airport.

Sources in the state BJP said that Nadda has no official program on Friday night but had informal discussion with the leaders on party affairs in the state. He will address a public meeting at Santir Bazar on Saturday and after that he will leave for Arunachal Pradesh. He also may visit the house of two prominent personalities in the state.

Earlier, BJP state president Rajib Bhattacharjee said that Nadda would hold a meeting with party functionaries to discuss plans to strengthen the organization.

He added that there are various programmes which are being organized on completion of 9 years of Seva, Sushashon and Garib Kalyan under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and as a part of that programme there were two public rallies which will to take place and one of them will be organized at Santir Bazar on June 17.

A programme named “Samparka se Samarthan" is going on where they meet enlightened citizens of the state and accordingly J P Nadda will also go to the houses of two citizens of the state after which he will address the rally at Santir Bazar on June 17.

The Chief Minister Professor Dr Manik Saha will also take part in the rally. The BJP Prabhari Dr Mahesh Sharma, North East Coordinator of BJP Sambit Patra and few others will remain present as well.

Bhattacharjee hoped that a total of 30,000-35000 party workers would remain present from Gomati and South Tripura districts at Santir Bazar rally and would make the rally a grand success.

The visit aims to mobilize party workers and kick off the BJP’s campaign for the next year’s Lok Sabha elections.

The party insiders said the rally will focus on two main issues-the celebration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s nine years in office and to boost the party rank and file for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The meeting resolved to make the rally a historic one, especially with the presence of indigenous people at a time when the BJP is facing challenge from the main opposition party Tipra-Motha in the hills.

Sources from Santir Bazar said JP Nadda will address a meeting at the local school ground at 11 AM and all preparations are completed. BJP state president Rajib Bhattacharjee himself visited the ground on Thursday and gave necessary instructions.

As per the month-long campaign program undertaken by the party, a similar meeting will be organised in Khowai for which date is yet to be finalized.