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Kolkata: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s planned election rally in West Bengal ran into disruptions on Saturday after dense fog prevented his helicopter from landing at Nadia’s Taherpur, forcing a virtual address from Kolkata, even as a fatal train incident near the venue and visible on-ground resentment triggered political and organisational fallout for his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The rally was part of the BJP’s West Bengal unit’s effort to gain momentum at the start of the campaign despite discontent spreading among sections of the Matua community over the draft Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls. A large number of people living in border constituencies dominated by the community were reportedly flagged under “No Mapping”, casting their future in uncertainty.

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The party had hoped Modi’s presence would calm tensions and energise cadres in this politically sensitive belt, that in recent years has elected multiple BJP legislators and Members of Parliament.

However, the mood on the ground appeared hostile towards the Prime Minister’s party. Boards reading ‘Go Back Modi’, put up by a relatively unknown Matua Namasudra Adhikar Mancha, were seen across the area, prompting BJP........

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