Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a rally at Kawakhali at Siliguri on 9 April. Today, the BJP’s Siliguri organisational district president Arun Mandal and the former district president Pravin Agarwal visited the ground for a recce.

Darjeeling MP Raju Bista is scheduled to visit that field tomorrow to finalise many more things for the PM’s political rally, Mr Mandal said.

It is learnt that Mr Modi is scheduled to lay the foundation stone for the proposed new Bagdogra terminal.

The party president Mr Mandal said, “He does not have information about laying the foundation stone for the new terminal for Bagdogra Airport.”

It may be noted that Darjeeling MP Mr Bista informed that bhumi pujan will be done for the construction of a new terminal for Bagdogra Airport in the first week of March.

According to sources, PM Modi will be arriving in Bagdogra Airport by air and then arrive at the venue by helicopter to address the rally at Kawakhali around 4 pm on 9 March. It would be his fifth visit to Siliguri as Prime Minister.

“We are preparing to accommodate more than two lakh people, who will be coming from Siliguri, Darjeeling-Kalimpong Hills and Jalpaiguri,” Mr Mandal said.

It may be noted that several people belonging to the Gorkha community in the Hills as well as in the plains have been eagerly waiting for his visit to know about his view related to permanent political solution for the Darjeeling Hills, Terai and Dooars.

The Gorkhas always recall Prime Minister’s speech in Lok Sabha polls campaigning in 2014.

Prime Minister’s statement was “Gorkhas’ dream is my dream.”

Ahead of the forthcoming Lok Sabha Polls in 2024, many Gorkhas recall that statement and ask “Where is his dream for us” on the issue of political solution for the Hills.

It may be noted that the BJP has not yet announced the name of the present MP Raju Bista, as a candidate for Darjeeling LS seat, in the first list.

According to sources, the former foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla is another contender for Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat.

When asked to comment, BJP’s Siliguri organisational district president Arun Mandal said, “The party will field Raju Bista second time from Darjeeling LS seat.”

Mr Mandal also said, “I don’t know about Mr Shringla. He has not yet come to our party office. I have heard that he was a former bureaucrat of the central government.”