BJP’s national chief J.P. Nadda cancelled two of the three public events he was supposed to attend in Bengal on Monday, party sources off the record citing paltry turnout.

Nadda attended a road show in Tollygunge, Calcutta, but cancelled two other scheduled public meetings in Serampore and Chinsurah.

Both these places are in Hooghly and go to polls in the fourth phase on April 10. While BJP officially cited emergencies for the cancellations, sources in the party said that both events had to be cancelled because Nadda refused to physically address a thin crowd.

“We had made arrangements for 6,000 to 7,000 people at the Serampore stadium. Not more than 500 people turned up. Chinsurah’s ground (the venue) is huge. Some 400-500 people turned up and Naddaji cancelled the meeting and left for Delhi,” a state BJP office-bearer said.

Nadda, who reached Calcutta on Sunday evening, was supposed to address the public meeting at Serampore first. According to information provided by the BJP’s media cell, the meeting was scheduled at 11.30 am. Around noon, BJP leadership present at the meeting were told that Nadda would not arrive personally but speak virtually instead. He addressed the few people at the venue on phone for around 20 minutes.

The saffron leadership appeared unsure of the exact reason behind Nadda deciding not to come. While some leaders said Nadda stayed back in Calcutta for urgent organisational work, others like state BJP general secretary Sayantan Basu cited a glitch in Nadda’s helicopter. “People were likely to come in due course. But, once it was announced that Naddaji won’t come, whoever was on their way decided to go back,” Basu, who was at the meeting himself, said. “There was an issue with his helicopter, he couldn’t fly,” he added.

A Serampore district BJP organisational committee leader said many people thought the event would begin at 1pm.

Nadda went to Tollygunge to attend a road show in support of BJP candidates Babul Supriyo and Payel Sarkar. This rally was moderately crowded. At the end of the rally, Nadda told journalists that the BJP was coming to power in Bengal and Trinamul chief Mamata Banerjee would lose from Nandigram.

Last on Nadda’s schedule was the Chinsurah public meeting, but he gave it a miss and flew back to Delhi. The BJP officially stated he “has to leave for New Delhi for an urgent meeting.”

State BJP leaders saw ominous signs in Monday’s events. “Both these seats and adjoining ones go to polls on April 10. If five days before that the party’s national chief is forced to cancel an event because of low turnout, it isn’t a good sign,” a Hooghly BJP leader said.

Trinamul leader Bratya Basu was sarcastic. “There was huge trickle of two people at BJP rallies and they had to cancel the meetings,” he said.