In the face of protests, Bengal BJP dissolves all departments

Following intensified protests against the state party leadership, the Bengal unit of the BJP dissolved all its departments and cells on Thursday.

The Bharathiya Janatha Party issued a circular which said that all departments and cells will remain dissolved until they are reconstituted and new appointments are made. The circular also quoted that it was as per the instructions from the state president of the BJP, Dr. Sukanta Majumdar.

It was declared just after the dissident BJP leaders in West Bengal decided to convene a meeting on January 15 to discuss issues concerning the Bengal state unit of the party.It is estimated that a large number of leaders who recently quit the party's official WhatsApp groups after being left out of the new state committee will attend the meeting at Kolkata Port Trust Guest House.

Already, dissident leaders met at the homes of BJP leaders Joy Prakash Majumdar and Pratap Banerjee and Union minister Shantanu Thakur. But some of them could not make it to the meeting .In recent weeks, many BJP MLAs, including Union Minister Shantanu Thakur, as well as district leaders have left the party's WhatsApp groups to protest exclusion from the new state committee. Prior to the last visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP National President JP Nadda to West Bengal, Union Minister of State Santanu Thakur said he had left a number of WhatsApp groups associated with the party. Thakur, who represents Bongaon Lok Sabha seat and is a Matua leader, was upset over a perceived lack of Matua representation in the recently reconstituted state and district councils.

Hiran Chatterjee, an actor turned BJP MLA, followed in the footsteps of Union Minister Shantanu Thakur and quit all WhatsApp groups of the party's state unit. He claimed he had no intention of ever leaving the saffron camp, however.

A top BJP leader, who requested anonymity, said to Indian Express; "Therefore, we have decided to hold a meeting for all those who have been deprived by the party. Long-time party leaders and those who have actually helped build the party in Bengal have been left out of the new state committee. We have nothing against new inclusions but it should not be at the cost of removing the old-timers."

He also mentioned that Amitava Chakravorty, general secretary (organisation) of the state BJP, was found to be bitterly disliked by many of these leaders.

"A competition is going on within Bengal BJP to capture the state unit of the party. Amitava Chakravorty played a big role in shaping the new state committee and inducted leaders close to his camp. He has ignored the contribution of leaders who made it possible for the BJP to get 38 per cert vote share (2021 Assembly polls). It is now the need of the hour to arrive at a consensus against his wrongdoings," The leader added.