Kolkata, Oct 28 — Ahead of the upcoming municipal corporation elections in Kolkata and Howrah, BJP national president and Rajya Sabha MP Nitin Nabin is set to visit West Bengal next week and hold a series of meetings with the party's state leadership to discuss poll strategy and candidate selection, according to a senior BJP leader.
As per the initial schedule, polling for the seven civic bodies, including the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and Howrah Municipal Corporation (HMC), was expected to be held in the last week of November, with results slated for announcement in the first week of December.
With speculation mounting over prospective candidates and the party's electoral roadmap, the BJP has intensified preparations for the contests.
According to party sources, Nitin Nabin is scheduled to arrive in Kolkata on November 2. During his visit, he is expected to hold extensive discussions with senior state leaders on election strategy, organisational preparedness and the process for selecting candidates for the civic polls.
The BJP had earlier indicated that its national president would visit West Bengal before Kali Puja, though the date had not been finalised. The state unit has now confirmed his visit on November 2.
Nitin Nabin last visited West Bengal in late September, when he held a series of meetings with state BJP leaders during a two-day tour.
Party sources said discussions during the upcoming visit are likely to focus on the BJP's strategy for the Kolkata and Howrah elections, including the finalisation of candidates and booth-level preparations.
Sources said the BJP is preparing to contest the civic polls with the same intensity and organisational focus that it adopted during the Assembly elections earlier this year.
BJP, meanwhile, has ruled out any alliance or seat-sharing arrangement with NCPI, the National Citizen Party of India.
Nabin was on a two-day visit to Goa. He returned to Delhi on Wednesday to take part in a march over BJP's 'save democracy' campaign.