Kumbh Mela 2019: Amit Shah to visit Allahabad to oversee festival preparations

BJP president Amit Shah will visit Uttar Pradesh's Allahabad on Friday to review the preparations for Kumbh Mela 2019. He will meet the saints of the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP), including its chief Narendra Giri to seek their feedback regarding the arrangements of the pilgrimage.

Notably, the ABAP is the apex body of saints, representing 13 akharas that participate in the Kumbh. Thus, their views and suggestions on Kumbh 2019 matter the most.

According to the report, Shah will visit temples to participate in various religious ceremonies like Ganga aarti. "BJP president is scheduled to visit Maujgiri Ghat for 'ganga aarti' and 'bhasma aarti'. He will also visit the Bade Hanuman temple and Juna Akhara. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath will also join Shah on his visit to the Sangam city," reported News 18.

Kumbh Mela to benefit BJP?

Kumbh Mela 2019 is scheduled to be held around Lok Sabha polls, which will give BJP a good platform  for their campaign. And this would probably help the party gain public support, especially of Hindus. Notably, the UP government has already invited around 70 lakh villages across India to take part in the grand Kumbh Mela 2019.

"Kumbh will offer a stage, like no other, to the BJP to connect with the masses...It also fits in well with the larger line of Modi talking development and the party chief connecting with BJP's core voters," Athar Siddiqui of the Centre for Objective Research and Development was told Hindustan Times.

A total amount of Rs 4,200 crore is being spent on the Kumbh festival 2019, making it one of the most expensive such festivals in India. Also, the Yogi government has received a grant of Rs 2,200 crores from the Centre for the 50-day long mela.