Guiness Record Says Acerbic BJP About fight for kolkata

Earlier, the city police said that Mr Shah's meeting would inconvenience commuters since a major traffic intersection is located at the venue.

The BJP has pointed out that no such concern has been expressed for the Chief Minister's address. Alleging discrimination, the party has refused to consider an alternative location.

"This must be a record in India... perhaps it can be entered in the Guinness book... we have gone to court three times to seek this venue," was the acerbic statement of the BJP's Rahul Sinha after the corporation turned down his party's application today. Mr Sinha said that the corporation objected to details like the location of the stage. "Let the corporation design the stage, we are fine with that," Mr Sinha said.

The BJP has asked the Calcutta High Court to rule in its favour; judges have said in different hearings that the party must first seek clearances from local fire safety officials and the city corporation.

Mr Shah, 50, who is credited with the BJP's recent landslide victories in key states like Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, has asked his party workers in Bengal to maximize a new recruitment drive. Party workers disenchanted with the Trinamool Congress and the Left are reportedly switching sides in large numbers.

In the parliamentary election in May, the BJP won two seats, giving it a foothold in a state where it has been considered a virtual non-entity. It also won an important by-election for the state legislature recently, defeating the Trinamool candidate.