Shah attends valedictory session of BJP meet in Bihar

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday presided over a glittering ceremony here that marked the conclusion of a joint national executive of the BJP's seven wings (morchas).

Shah, who is visiting the city for the first time since his induction into the Union cabinet three years ago, arrived at the airport around 4 PM, nearly an hour behind schedule.

Known as the party's principal strategist and second most powerful man in the country after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shah was received at the airport by leaders such as his junior minister Nityanand Rai, confidant and Bihar MLC Sanjay Mayukh and state BJP president Sanjay Jaiswal.

Shah quickly got into his car and drove straight to Gyan Bhavan auditorium, about five kilometers away, where he was joined by BJP president J P Nadda, among others, for the concluding ceremony.

Shah is expected to visit the BJP state headquarters later in the day and meet the party's parliamentarians, legislators and other key leaders.

Shah and Nadda are scheduled to leave late in the evening. A customary meeting with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, whose JD(U) is the largest BJP ally, is ruled out this time since the septuagenarian is in home isolation after having tested positive for COVID-19 last week.