WB-AMIT SHAH RALLY

The scheduled rallies of BJP in

West Bengal has been deferred by two days to January 22 owing

to its national president Amit Shah's ill health, party

officials said Friday.

"As he (Shah) is not well, we have decided to change

dates (of the rallies) so that he can attend them. There has

been change in dates. Amit Shah will address the first rally

on January 22 in Malda," Dilip Ghosh, president of the West

Bengal unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party said.

Shah, who has been admitted to the All India Institute

of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, with swine flu, is doing well

and will be discharged in a day or two, the party had said

Thursday.

On January 23, Shah will address two rallies at Suri

in Birbhum district and Jhargram district. On January 24, he

will address rallies at Krishnanagar in Nadia district and

Jaynagar in South 24 Parganas district, Ghosh said.

The BJP has identified West Bengal as a priority state

for the upcoming general elections and Shah has set a target

of winning 22 of the state's 42 Lok Sabha seats.

The party is also looking to host a few rallies of

Prime Minister Narendra Modi although the dates have not been

confirmed yet, Ghosh said.

In the last few years, the BJP has emerged as the

main opposition in the state with a commendable show in rural

polls and by-elections.

Shah's rally will come just days after TMC's mega

opposition rally.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday had asked the West Bengal

government to allow proposed public meetings and rallies of

the BJP under its "Ganatantra Bachao Yatra".

In a show of strength ahead of the national polls,

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has organised a massive rally

in Kolkata on January 19, which is likely to see participation

of lakhs. Leaders of all major opposition parties have been

invited to the rally to be held at the Brigade Parade ground

in the heart of the city.