BJP national president Amit Shah, who arrived here today on a three-day visit to Chhattisgarh, held meetings with party leaders including MPs and MLAs in the run up to the assembly elections scheduled next year. Shah was welcomed at the Swami Vivekanand airport this morning by Chief Minister Raman Singh, state BJP chief Dharamlal Kaushik, national general secretary Saroj Pandey, Rajya Sabha MP Ramvichar Netam besides other party leaders and workers

Raipur: BJP national president Amit Shah, who arrived here today on a three-day visit to Chhattisgarh, held meetings with party leaders including MPs and MLAs in the run up to the assembly elections scheduled next year.     Shah was welcomed at the Swami Vivekanand airport this morning by Chief Minister Raman Singh, state BJP chief Dharamlal Kaushik, national general secretary Saroj Pandey, Rajya Sabha MP Ramvichar Netam besides other party leaders and workers.   From there, he directly proceeded to the party headquarters ‘Kushabhau Thakre Parisar’ in Boriya-Kala area where he chaired a meeting with national office bearers, core group members, MPs, MLAs, officers bearers of various wings of BJP in the state and other top leaders, a party leader here said.     CM Raman Singh, national joint general secretary (organisation) Saudan Singh, Kaushik and other senior leaders were present during the meeting that lasted for around two hours, he said.     Subsequently, Shah met saints and held talks with them. He is scheduled to address many other meetings today, including of the BJP office bearers, MPs-MLAs and eminent personalities separately, the party leader added.     During the three-day visit which is concluding on June 10, Shah is scheduled to chair as many as 22 meetings with party leaders, office bearers and booth representatives to give tips for strengthening the party ahead of the assembly polls and 2019 parliamentary elections, he said.     Besides, he will also take part in several other programmes.     Shah would be visiting Giroudpuri Dham - a popular scheduled caste Satnami community's pilgrim centre - in Chhattisgarh during his visit.     Giroudpuri, located around 130 kms from the state capital, in Balodabazar district is the birth place of Satnami saint Guru Ghasidas.     BJP is in power in Chhattisgarh since 2003 under the leadership of Raman Singh and is looking to retain the state for the fourth consecutive term. PTI