SHILLONG:
Plagued by infighting and exodus, the West Bengal BJP, which is still licking its wounds after the assembly poll defeat, is staring at bleak prospects in the state as senior leaders engage in feud off and on social media, leaving little time for the party’s growth.
Churnings in the Bengal BJP had started after the recent organisational revamp, with several senior leaders and party legislators openly criticising the top brass over its decisions.
All damage control efforts seem to be hitting the wall of late as the house stands divided.
“Yes, there have been some issues, few people are not happy… but we are hopeful that the problems will be sorted out very soon,” BJP state spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said.
Sources in the BJP said that the party, which had been fighting hard to keep its flock together after former union minister Babul Supriyo and five legislators, including its national vice president Mukul Roy, switched over to the TMC, is facing an “inner-party rebellion” as leaders angered over being dropped from key posts are organising separate meetings.
Leading from the front is prominent Matua leader and union minister Shantanu Thakur who recently quit the WhatsApp groups of the party, accusing the state leadership of sidelining leaders from his community for newcomers in the camp, according to the sources.
Nine BJP MLAs from the community, including Asok Kirtania, Subrata Thakur and Mukutmani Adhikari, have exited BJP legislators’ Whatsapp group in the last one month.
“It seems the BJP no longer acknowledges the role played by Matua community in the party. The way the party is being run by a handful of leaders is totally unacceptable. The state office bearers’ committee was formed without any proper consultation,” Shantanu Thakur said.
Although the state leadership has taken note of the resentment and given assurance that things will be sorted out, tempers are still frayed.
The group of irate leaders is apparently in touch with other incensed members across districts, trying to bring them under one platform, the sources said.