Narendra Modi will address a rally in Siliguri on December 16, a day after the BJP’s Rath Yatra from Cooch Behar enters the area, party leaders said on Tuesday.

“We have received verbal confirmation from the PMO. We hope to get written confirmation soon,” BJP Bengal general secretary Sayantan Bose said.

Since last year’s shutdown in the hills over statehood, BJP has suffered a setback. Darjeeling BJP MP S.S. Ahluwalia has not visited the hills for over a year. Campaigning in 2014, Modi had said “the dream of Gorkhas is my dream”.