The BJP has planned to hold a demonstration in Siliguri on December 12, the same day when chief minister Mamata Banerjee will be in the city and will attend a public service distribution programme at the Kanchenjungha Stadium here.

“Suvendu Adhikari, the leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, will take part in the demonstration in Siliguri on December 12. All our MLAs from across north Bengal and other representatives of the party in the region will congregate at the event,” said Manoj Tigga, the party’s chief whip in the Assembly and the MLA from Madarihat in Alipurduar.

On Wednesday, the chief minister arrived here on a seven-day visit. She first headed for the hills and would attend government functions in Kurseong, Alipurduar and Banarhat of Jalpaiguri over the next few days.

The BJP legislators and leaders will demonstrate in protest against the Trinamul government’s alleged apathy towards north Bengal, the sources in the party said.

Ever since Mamata’s visit was announced, Shankar Ghosh, the BJP MLA of Siliguri, has launched a protest over the selection of the Kanchenjungha Stadium — the largest sports infrastructure in the region — as the venue for her event.

“The state government has deprived north Bengal for years now. It didn’t take any steps to improve the sports infrastructure in the region and now, they are planning to damage a prominent football ground in Siliguri by hosting the chief minister’s programme. We will voice our protest on these issues during the demonstration,” Ghosh said over the phone from Calcutta on Wednesday.

Siliguri Mahakuma Krira Parishad — the sub-divisional sports body — had to halt the ongoing super-division football league because of the chief minister’s programme. Matches of the league, which started on November 26 at the stadium, had been halted since December 4 as the work had started to build the dais, enclosures and other facilities for the government event.

Leaders of the saffron brigade, however, didn’t divulge the venue of their demonstration. “It will be announced in due course,” said a party leader.

District Trinamul leaders, however, sounded unperturbed when told about the BJP’s plan to demonstrate in public on the day when the chief minister would be in the city.

“They have become politically bankrupt and are trying to foment tension. Such tactics will not work. People are with us and we will politically thwart any attempt to disrupt peace,” said Vedabrata Dutta, the spokesperson of Darjeeling (plains) district Trinamul.