The Bharatiya Janata Party’s Nagaland unit on Thursday apologised to the Kohima Ao Baptist Church after a draft itinerary that had mentioned party chief JP Nadda’s proposed visit there was leaked to the media, the Deccan Herald reported.
Media reports had earlier said that Nadda would visit the Baptist church during his visit to Nagaland. The reports were based on a leaked first draft of the BJP’s itinerary.
“...We have no such ill intention to drag the good name of the KABA; and we sincerely acknowledge and respect the sentiment of the Church for declining our request, the reason, being very genuine, as the Church is already pre-occupied with other programs,” the BJP said in a corrigendum on Thursday.
The saffron party said that it did not know how the first draft was leaked, but it would take corrective measures. It apologised to the Kohima Ao Baptist Church for “inconveniences caused by unscrupulous elements to defame both the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Church”.
On Thursday, Nadda arrived in Nagaland ahead of the Assembly elections slated for March. On Friday, he is scheduled to take part in an autorickshaw rally at Dimapur, meet intellectuals, professionals and hold a meeting of the BJP’s core committee.
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