KOLKATA 6 MAY: Just in the wake of the electoral debacle in the just-concluded Assembly election, internal feuds and disputes have started rearing their heads in the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Bengal unit, with even one former state party president Tathagata Roy calling a whole bunch of TMC-turncoats, garbage, and nuisance.
Sources in the TMC said that several local BJP leaders have already expressed their wish to join TMC.
Incidentally, Dibakar Jana BJP functionary of East Midnapore district who was close to Adhikari has already resigned from BJP.
The Central party leadership has called Tathagata Roy, who was also former Governor of Tripura and Meghalaya for an explanation.
Roy said he would not be able to go now because of the Corona pandemic situation.
In a series of tweet, Roy dragged the names of four regional leaders – Kailash Vijaywargiya, Dilip Ghosh, Shiv Prakash, and Arvind Menon claiming that they have put the words of Prime Minister and Home Minister, through mud and, have sullied the reputation of the biggest political party in the world.
Roy further tweeted, “Don’t blame the central leadership? A central leadership in a country of 1.3 billion has to be briefed by the state leadership, who are just clueless. Now I apprehend two exoduses from the state BJP. First, of course, is the garbage that came from Trinamool Congress and will now go back. The second may be the old Karyakartas of BJP. Unless they see signs of reform within the party, they will also leave. And that will be the end of the party in West Bengal”.
Here is a tweet from Tathagata Roy
Sources in the state BJP said that after the results of the Assembly elections, the debate has been raging with one section of leaders feeling that it was not right to take the turncoats of TMC in their party, while other teams of leaders felt that to expand their base in Bengal, there is a need for poaching leaders from TMC.
A day back, BJP leader from Uttarpara, Hooghly Prabir Ghoshal who shifted his allegiance to BJP before the Assembly election praised Mamata Banerjee and his nephew for their astounding victory and claimed that Banerjee’s dedication had proved the results.
Before joining BJP, Ghoshal said that he could not work in the party as it became a private organization and nobody would listen to him. He also claimed that he could not work in his constituency by an influential section within TMC.
Political analysts however, believe after the results of the election both the parties are now afraid of poaching by the others and trying their best to keep their folks intact. Probably in the next a couple of days, it will be seen whether any leaders from these two parties are shifting their base or not.
Moreover Tathagata Roy’s comment clearly indicated that there is a need for good Bengali face in the upper rank of the party so that he can mobilise the party in a good direction.
Biswanath Chakraborty, senior political analysts, said, “While Trinamool Congress will now screen the people who are willing to join from BJP to TMC, BJP leaders will willingly take cadres from TMC as they need to build up a strong base at the ground level. Moreover, they also need to look for a face that can represent Bengali culture and have the ability to become a mass leader.”
Trinamool Congress leaders however were happy after seeing Tathagata Roy’s tweet .
According to TMC leaders , Roy’s comment clearly indicated how internal feud is gaining grounds has increased inside BJP.
“It is true that the name of the four leaders who have been pointed out by Roy does not represent Bengali culture and so BJP needs to know Bengali culture before they think of forming any government in Bengal.” added Saugata Roy TMC MP and brother of BJP leader Tathagata Roy.
Local BJP worker’s phone conversation with Suvendu Adhikari
On Wednesday, a telephonic conversation between Nandigram junior BJP functionary, Proloy Paul and Nandigram BJP MLA, Suvendu Adhikari became viral on social media in which Adhikari advised Paul, who pleaded for help for tortured BJP workers.
Adhikari advised Paul to mobilise forces in Hindu majority areas of Nandigram and resist TMC attack.
While Paul admitted that it was indeed the voice of him and Adhikari, but Adhikari refused to make any comment on this.
TMC took this opportunity to accuse the BJP of indulging in communal politics even after such a poll disaster.
Grapevine has it that Paul, who is suspected of having a link with TMC himself leaked out the conversation.