BJP plans grand welcome for Nitin Nabin on his first organisational visit to UP

Rajiv.Srivastava1Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh BJP has planned an elaborate welcome for newly appointed national president Nitin Nabin during his first organisational visit to the state, scheduled for July 4 and 5, after being postponed by a day from the original July 3-4 programme.Though Nabin has visited Uttar Pradesh twice since taking charge as state BJP chief in January, neither visit was organisational in nature. His first visit, on Jan 25, was to Mathura, where he offered prayers at the Banke Bihari Temple. He later visited the residence of BJP MLA and state general secretary Rajesh Chaudhary to offer condolences on his mother’s death. His second visit was to Varanasi on April 28 during the Prime Minister’s visit to the city.For his first official organisational tour, the party has planned a massive reception from Lucknow airport to the BJP state headquarters. Party functionaries said Nabin’s cavalcade will be welcomed at around 40 locations along the route, with flower petals showered at each stop.Around nine reception points will be led by BJP MLAs and MLCs, while more than a dozen others will be hosted by representatives of various communities, including Kayasths, Sindhis, traders and other social groups.

At another 10-12 locations, reception arrangements will be handled by groups of municipal corporators.The party is aiming to mobilise 400-500 supporters at each welcome point. Newly appointed BJP vice-president Neeraj Singh has been made in charge of the reception programme, while state secretary Dr Rahul Valmiki will oversee publicity arrangements.Beyond the ceremonial welcome, party leaders view the visit as politically significant, coming months ahead of the assembly elections due early next year.

The tour is expected to provide the first indications of Nabin’s organisational priorities and strategy.During the visit, Nabin will chair a meeting of newly appointed state office-bearers, coordinated by BJP vice-president Shanker Giri, followed by a meeting of district presidents from the party’s 94 organisational districts, to be coordinated by state secretary Shivbhushan Singh.Party insiders said one of the most closely watched engagements will be Nabin’s proposed interaction with senior RSS functionaries and office-bearers of Sangh-affiliated organisations, including regional pracharaks.

The meeting is expected to be coordinated by Rahul Valmiki.The overall coordination of the two-day programme has been entrusted to BJP general secretary Sanjay Rai, who has retained the post for a second consecutive term.Nabin will hold meetings with MPs and MLAs at Hotel Taj and also meet members of alliance parties like Apna Dal, NISHAD Party, SBSP, and RLD.Nabin is also likely to address more than 6,000 booth-level functionaries and Shakti Kendra conveners at the Rashtriya Prerna Sthal, though the schedule for the event had not been finalised till late Tuesday.In addition, the BJP chief is expected to meet several prominent personalities in Lucknow, including thespian Anil Rastogi, who was recently honoured with Padma Shri.