Tag: West Bengal BJP

  • No plan to leave BJP, will play role of conscience-keeper: Tathagata Roy

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: BJP leader Tathagata Roy on Sunday asserted that he will continue to play the role of his party’s “conscience-keeper”, a day after the saffron camp national vice-president, Dilip Ghosh, told him that he was free to leave the camp if he was “upset and ashamed” over its style of functioning.

    Roy clarified that he has no plan of quitting the organisation.

    He took to Twitter on Sunday and said, “I am being deluged with phone calls since yesterday. Let me assure you that I am not voluntarily leaving the party.”

    The former Meghalaya governor had recently been critical of the decisions taken by BJP’s ex-West Bengal minder Kailash Vijayvargiya, Ghosh, and senior leaders Arvind Menon and Shiv Prakash, ahead of March-April assembly polls, and blamed them in a series of tweets for the saffron camp’s poor show in the state.

    Earlier, too, he had flayed the senior leaders for “indiscriminate” induction of TMC leaders into the party without taking their experience and chance of winning into account.

    Ghosh, who was the state president of the BJP during assembly polls, took exception to his tweets and told reporters on Saturday “If you are so upset and ashamed of all that is happening within the party, why don’t you just leave?” Maintaining that he will remain an ordinary member of the BJP, Roy, in response to Ghosh’s barbs, said that had he left the party, he would have unravelled many secrets, but that wasn’t happening now.

    “I am an ordinary member of the BJP. I will perform the role of conscience-keeper of the party, like the conscience-keeper in ‘Jatra’ (stage play). Had I left the party, I would have unravelled many secrets. But that is not happening now,” the former governor stated.

    The incumbent state president of the Bengal BJP unit, Sukanta Majumdar, had refused to be a part of the controversy on Saturday, insisting that it was the “prerogative of the central leadership” to take a call on the comments made by Roy.

  • Frequent visits to Tripura by Abhishek sign of TMC’s desperation: BJP

    Jaiprakash Majumdar, the saffron party's state vice-president, said TMC's attempts to make a mark at the national level smacks off “insanity, indiscretion and childishness”.

  • Instead of writing to PM, Mamata should address reason behind flooding in West Bengal: Dilip Ghosh

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: BJP on Tuesday said that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee should address the reason behind the flooding of vast parts of the state rather than writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, top central officials and the neighbouring Jharkhand government.

    BJP national vice-president Dilip Ghosh told a press meet here that the flood situation in vast stretches of East and West Midnapore districts, Hooghly and Howrah has worsened over the years due to the inaction of Trinamool Congress in the past 10 years and the Left Front government previous to it.

    “What did Mamata Banerjee do other than blaming the Centre for the floods ? Where did the crores of Rupees sent by Centre and international funding agencies to undertake dredging of canals go? There is poor maintenance by the state irrigation department.

    “She only undertakes aerial survey, blames DVC and Centre and writes letters to the PM. Her officials write to their central counterparts, to Jharkhand government. What can the Jharkhand government do in this matter? She should address the reasons for the floods in Bengal,” Ghosh commented.

    Banerjee has accused DVC of releasing excess water from its barrages after the heavy rains last week without information during the night.

    The water discharged by DVC had claimed lives and affected lakhs of people, she said and demanded dredging of the barrages and dams of the Jharkhand government.

    Ghosh in turn accused Banerjee of taking steps like writing to the prime minister and Jharkhnd government only to divert attention from her failures to tackle the annual flooding.

    Ghosh said he was not opposed to TMC rushing its delegations to other parts of country after an incident of political importance, “But they (TMC) should remember how they prevent opposition leaders like those from BJP when they head to any place which have witnessed brutal attacks by Trinamool Congress goons. We are not allowed to meet the affected families and Section 144 Cr PC is promulgated to prevent us.”

    To a question Ghosh said he was personally not in favour of a political party organising Durga Puja.

    “I have no issue if some of us in the party are behind any Durg Puja on their own”.

    BJP had organised its first Durga Puja in the city in 2020.

  • West Bengal BJP to give more spotlight on local leaders to take on rival Trinamool Congress

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The BJP in West Bengal is bracing to groom new generation of leadership with a focus on leaders who can match the street power of the ruling Trinamool Congress. The central leaders and those from outside are likely to stay away to allow the rise of the local leadership.

    The BJP has seemingly taken the view that the party will now need to grow slowly without the ‘quick’ help of turncoats. It is also learnt to have decided that the task of bypoll campaign in the eastern state will remain with the local leadership.

    The appointment of BJP MP Sukanta Majumdar is in line with the strategy to pass on the baton to the younger leaders who can withstand the “pressure tactics” of the TMC. “The BJP will stick to growing slowly. It’s going to be a long journey, and the leaders who are relatively younger will be shouldering much of the responsibilities in the state,” said a senior BJP functionary.

    The BJP has assigned the task to see through the bypoll campaign to the state co-incharge Amit Malviya. Unlike the Assembly elections, the BJP is learnt to be not fielding leaders from outside even as it seeks to put up a spirited contest against Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur. 

    The BJP functionary stated that the party leaders are being slapped with a spate of criminal cases in the state. “Bengal is posing a lot of challenges, including intimidation. It’s going to be a  case of survival of the fittest. But, the BJP will hold out strongly by promoting the young leadership.” said the functionary.

    The BJP, incidentally, had fielded a full battery of its leaders from other states in Bengal during the Assembly elections, which was seen to have been exploited by the ruling TMC to build the local versus outsider narrative against the saffron outfit. 

  • Sukanta Majumdar replaces Dilip Ghosh as West Bengal BJP chief

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The BJP on Monday replaced its West Bengal unit president Dilip Ghosh with Sukanta Majumdar, Lok Sabha MP from Balurghat in the state.

    Ghosh, also a Lok Sabha MP, has been made a national vice president of the party.

    In a statement, the party also announced the appointment of former Uttarakhand governor Baby Rani Maurya as its vice president.

    Maurya is a Dalit leader and is expected to play a role in the assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, her native state.

    The decision to bring in a new West Bengal president is being seen as part of the BJP’s efforts to reinvigorate its organisation in the state amid desertions by a number of its leaders who have switched over to the ruling Trinamool Congress.

  • Uttar Pradesh brand of Hindutva rhetoric failed in ‘secular’ Bengal: Strategist

    By Express News Service

    KOLKATA: More than two-and-a-half-months after West Bengal’s Assembly results shattered the BJP’s dream of bagging over 200 seats, a key back-room strategist of the saffron camp, in a closed-door meeting, admitted that the Uttar Pradesh brand of Hindutva rhetoric failed to fetch votes in ‘secular’ Bengal.

    At the meeting with the party’s Bengal functionaries, Shivprakash, BJP’s joint national general secretary (organisation), who was deployed to Bengal to derail TMC-led government, purportedly said, “Attempts to polarise the electorate on the lines of religion did not work in secular Bengal. UP brand of Hindutva politics did not appeal to most of the voters.”

    He also made it clear that the party’s Hindutva rhetoric led to the consolidation of the vote-bank of minorities, who form 30% of the total electorate, and failed to take the majority of the voters into confidence.

    Sources in Bengal BJP said it was the first time that a national leader admitted the party’s tactical error in the recent high-octane Assembly elections. “He also admitted that not paying heed to our warning that the Hindutva narrative would not work in Bengal was a mistake,” said a BJP leader in Kolkata.

  • HC gives Bengal govt ‘last opportunity’ to file affidavit on NHRC post-poll violence report

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: The Calcutta High Court on Thursday gave the West Bengal government a “last opportunity” to file an affidavit stating its position on the NHRC report on post-poll violence in the state by July 26.

    A five-judge bench hearing a clutch of PILs alleging that people were subjected to assault, made to flee homes and property was destroyed as a result of post-poll violence in Bengal, directed that the matter will be taken up for hearing again on July 28.

    The bench, taking note of a request by the counsel for the state to grant further time for filing response to the report given by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), said that on the last date of hearing time was granted, but no affidavit was filed.

    “Last opportunity is granted to file affidavit, if any, on or before July 26, 2021,” the bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal and justices I P Mukerji, Harish Tandon, Soumen Sen and Subrata Talukdar, said.

    It also refused a prayer of the state for supply of a copy of the Annexure-I to the report.

    “We do not find that there is any requirement to supply the same as it contains the name of the victims of sexual violence. Entire report shall be supplied to the investigating officer/agency, which will investigate the matter,” the court said.

    In an indictment of the Mamata Banerjee government, the NHRC inquiry committee report had said the situation in the state is a manifestation of “Law of Ruler” instead of “Rule of Law”.

    The seven-member committee, which submitted its report before the high court on July 13, recommended that investigation in grievous offences like murder and rape be handed over to the CBI, and these cases should be tried outside the state.

    Appearing for one of the respondents, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi claimed there were irregularities in the NHRC report and that it contained allegations of crime that preceded the date of declaration of West Bengal assembly election results on May 2.

    He also alleged that the report smacked of political consideration.

    Representing one of the petitioners, senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani submitted that the NHRC report reflected the true law and order situation in West Bengal.

    He urged the bench, presided by Acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal, to hand over investigation into heinous crimes like murder and rape to an independent investigating agency for an impartial probe.

    The NHRC, in its report, had also talked about “retributive violence” by supporters of the ruling party against those of the main opposition party.

    Criticising the NHRC observations, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of “using impartial agencies to settle political scores” and “malign” the state.

    PTI AMR RBT RBT 07222032 NNNN

  • West Bengal BJP accuses Mamata govt of snooping using Pegasus

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: The BJP’s West Bengal unit on Thursday countered the attack of the Trinamool Congress on Pegasus issue alleging that Mamata Banerjee government has been using the same Israeli snooping software to put her political opponents, journalists, government officials and even her own party leaders and ministers under surveillance.

    The BJP’s state president Dilip Ghosh claimed that his party, which has been under attack by various political parties at the national level, does not believe in the culture of phone tapping.

    The TMC denied the charge saying that only the authorities of a country can use the services of the company that sells Pegasus.

    “Mamata Banerjee has put her opponents, journalists, officials, her own party leaders and ministers under surveillance using Pegasus,” Ghosh told reporters.

    Claiming that TMC leaders keep contact among themselves through WhatsApp, where the conversation is encrypted, Ghosh said, “They (TMC) don’t make normal phone calls or share SMS as they know that everything is being tapped.”

    The BJP doesn’t believe in the culture of phone tapping and it is the culture of the Congress, where Mamata Banerjee began her political innings, he said.

    Reacting to Ghosh’s jibe, senior TMC leader and minister Sobhandeb Chatterjee said everyone knows that only a country can use the services of the Israeli company “even if clandestinely” “Dilip-babu is known for wild claims.

    His comments on phone tapping has no basis,” he told PTI.

    “But he should remember that peddling such lies will only harm the spirit of truth and principle in politics. It violates the religion of politics,” Chatterjee added.

    A global media consortium has recently reported that over 300 verified mobile phone numbers, including of two central ministers, over 40 journalists, three opposition leaders besides scores of business persons and activists in India, could have been targeted for hacking using the Israeli spyware Pegasus, which is usually supplied to government agencies.

    The Indian government and Israeli surveillance company NSO Group, which sells Pegasus spyware worldwide, have separately refuted the reports.

  • Suvendu Adhikari launches fresh attack against TMC, says post-poll violence eclipsed 1946 Calcutta Killings

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: Paying tribute to those allegedly killed in violence unleashed by the TMC after the declaration of assembly poll results, Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly on Wednesday said “what happened in the state over the past two months has eclipsed the great Calcutta killings of 1946”.

    Maintaining that at least 30 party activists were killed by TMC goons since May 5, when the Mamata Banerjee government took over the reins of the state for the third time, Adhikari claimed that the observations made by the NHRC in its report on post-poll violence has “shaken the world”.

    “We expect the judiciary to take action after taking into consideration the NHRC report, which has just exposed the tip of the iceberg.

    Such report will put anyone with a sane mind to shame.

    “What happened in Bengal over the past two months has eclipsed the great Calcutta killings of 1946, Noakhali riots and the Sikh killings,” he said as the BJP observed Shahid Shraddhanjali Divas in memory of the workers allegedly killed in violence.

    Incidentally, the TMC on Wednesday marked its annual ‘Shahid Divas’ with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee virtually addressing people during the day.

    The Mamata Banerjee-led camp commemorates Shahid Divas every year to pay homage to the 13 Youth Congress workers who were killing in police action in 1993. Banerjee back then was a member of the grand old party’s youth wing.

    Sources in the BJP said at least 175 workers of the party were killed in the state over the past few years.

    The Nandigram MLA further said the TMC was under the impression that “such attacks, abetted by the state police, would decimate the BJP in the state, but they are mistaken”.

    In a jibe at the ruling party, he said, “A section of milk-giving cows of Didi (CM Mamata Banerjee)  actively launched attacks on scheduled caste men and women among others. One shudders to think the kind of torture women had to endure. The NHRC could not take note of several complaints due to paucity of time.”

    The BJP has built safe homes for its 25,000 homeless party workers, supporters and their families, he stated.

    The saffron camp legislator, in yet another dig at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, said, “She had gone all the way to Nandigram from Bhawanipore to contest elections. After being rejected by people there, she is now desperate to get elected to the Assembly, notwithstanding the COVID-9 situation.

    “Setting a new precedent, a non-MLA CM is running the state. We will surely dislodge this government one day. From three, our tally has increased to 77 in the Assembly.”

    He sought to know why the “ruling dispensation isn’t keen on holding long-overdue municipal polls”.

    “In her party, there is only one post and the rest are lamp posts,” he claimed.

  • Bengal BJP to bring about sweeping organisational changes to crack whip on dissidents

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: Smarting under the assembly election defeat, the West Bengal BJP is likely to bring about a sweeping organisational reshuffle to crack the whip on recalcitrant leaders and a section of turncoats, who joined the saffron party ahead of the polls.

    The state BJP is also mulling to put up a “screening window” while inducting leaders from other parties, and taking a “Bengal-specific political line” in tandem with its pan- India policy to take on the TMC”s sub-nationalism, party sources said.

    The BJP has decided to revamp the organisation by rewarding efficient party workers and leaders and remove several turncoats from local and district levels. It has also decided to rein in dissidence with a two-pronged approach.

    The proposed measures come in the backdrop of poll reverses, growing infighting and reverse exodus, the latest being the switchover of BJP national vice-president Mukul Roy to the ruling party in the state.

    After its defeat in the assembly polls in May, the state BJP has been a divided house with constant bickering among senior leaders who are blaming each other for the failure, the party sources said.

    “Discussions are underway for certain changes at various levels of the organisation. There have been some issues. It would have been better if such things could have been avoided,” state BJP chief Dilip Ghosh told PTI.

    Asked whether the BJP will take action against dissidents and TMC turncoats who are openly speaking against the saffron party, Ghosh said, “No one is above party discipline”.

    “There are some people who had joined the party in the hope of getting something if the BJP came to power. But now, as we have failed, they are speaking in a different tone. All of us have to follow the rules and discipline of the party,” he said.

    There is a growing resentment among rank and file as no action has been taken against TMC turncoats like Rajib Banerjee and Saumitra Khan who have been openly speaking against the BJP leadership since the poll debacle, party sources said.

    The situation worsened after the state leadership took action against some district leaders but did not touch the state-level turncoats who were openly defying the party.

    “There has been a lot of pressure from workers to take action against the errant leaders as this is not how a disciplined party like the BJP works. We have already zeroed in on dissidents and prepared a list, and action will be taken as soon as we get the central leadership”s nod,” a senior BJP leader, who is privy to the development, said.

    The party has decided to take a two-pronged approach to rein in dissidence — ignore statements of some errant leaders so that they become quiet, and issue show-cause notices to the more vocal ones, with the eventual aim to make them quit the party.

    “We don”t want people who are not keen on staying with us,” he said.

    Several other turncoats like Sonali Guha, Sarala Murmu, Dipendu Biswas and Bacchu Hansda have expressed their desire to return to the TMC.

    Learning from assembly poll “mistakes”, the party has decided to establish a “screening team” whose approval would be mandatory for anyone willing to join the party.

    “We have made a big mistake by admitting anyone and everyone from the TMC. As a result of this, we could not benefit from anti-incumbency in many areas, whereas in other places, party units got filled with turncoats thus alienating our tried-and-tested workers and leaders,” another senior state BJP leader said.

    He pointed out that in the 149 seats where the BJP fielded newcomers who had joined from other parties, the strike rate was just nine, whereas old-timers were fielded in 68 of 77 seats it won.

    “This figure shows that the strategy to take leaders from other parties was a complete flop,” he said.

    The state unit has also decided to adopt a “Bengal- specific political line” after approval from the central leadership to counter the TMC”s narrative that the “BJP is a party of outsiders”.

    “One of the main reasons behind our defeat in the polls was that we couldn”t touch a chord with the masses as we were branded as outsiders.

    “Being a national party, we can”t have an approach like a regional party but we will have a Bengal-specific political line in tandem with our party”s national policy to take on TMC in the state,” he said.

    Although the BJP improved its tally from three to 77 in the state assembly, it miserably failed to achieve its much-hyped target of 200 plus seats, as the TMC stormed to power for the third consecutive term by winning 213 seats in the 294-member assembly.

    The ruling TMC, while reacting to the changes the saffron camp is planning, said the party would fall like a pack of cards as it went for an “inorganic growth by inducting leaders from other parties”.

    “The BJP”s end in West Bengal has already begun. It will fall like a pack of cards. They wanted to build a castle on the sand by allowing inorganic growth. Now they are facing the music as the party doesn”t have any base in the state,” senior TMC leader Sougata Roy said.

    Political scientist Suman Bhattacharya feels that the BJP won”t be able to arrest its slide as it has “lost the plot”.

    “Not just TMC turncoats, even veteran BJP leaders like Ganga Prasad Sharma are joining the ruling party in the state as the saffron party has lost the plot and narrative in West Bengal,” he said.