Mangaluru : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president Amit Shah will visit the city on January 27 and address a public gathering, said BJP district unit president Pratapsimha Nayak.

Speaking to reporters here on Thursday, Mr. Nayak said Mr. Shah will be reviewing the progress in the enrolment of members to the party in the district. After addressing a public meeting, he will proceed to Karkala and participate in the Mahamastakabhisheka of Sri Bahubali.

To mark the visit of Mr. Shah, Mr. Nayak said the party had decided to intensify the membership drive and enrol as many as 4 lakh members in the district. He said 5,046 party men had been identified to enrol a minimum of 100 members each.

These activists had been asked to enrol at least two members in each of the 1,767 polling booths in the district. An orientation for the membership drive was being held at Bantwal, Sullia, Mangaluru South, Moodbidri, Belthangady and Puttur assembly constituencies.

Defending Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa’s action to pull up Ministers in the Legislative Assembly, Mr. Nayak said he was well within his rights to do so.

There had not been any violation of rules as alleged by senior Congress leader B. Janardhana Poojary. Mr. Thimmappa had only voiced concerns of people.