BJP steps up effort to woo Muslim voters in North Bengal ahead of panchayat polls

The party will have to tap the Muslim voters here to do well in panchayat polls,” the party leader added. (Representational photo)

Keeping next year’s panchayat polls in mind, the BJP is focusing its resources on North Bengal districts to win the support of the minority community there. With some of these districts having a large Muslim population, the party has increased its activities through its state minority cell to reach out to voters.

“There are areas in North Bengal districts that are dominated by Muslims. In such places, every political party will field Muslim candidates. We are no exception. We have a good presence in North Bengal districts, and have received a positive response from minorities, especially from Muslims. This response was reflected in the by-elections where BJP emerged second. We have booth committees in every booth in these districts. We are ready for an election if our candidates are allowed to file their nominations in panchayat polls,” state BJP Minority Morcha president Ali Hossain told The Indian Express.

The party will field a large number of Muslim candidates in next year’s panchayat polls, he added.

There are eight districts in North Bengal — Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, Kalimpong, North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur and Malda. Of these, four districts have a big Muslim population. Malda has a 51 per cent Muslim population, North Dinajpur has 49 per cent, South Dinajpur has 42 per cent, while Cooch Behar has a 31 per cent minority population, of which a large number are Muslims.

Of BJPs three MLAs in West Bengal, two are from North Bengal. “We have two MLAs and one MP from North Bengal. The organisational base is much stronger here as compared to South Bengal districts. This would not have been possible without the support of minority voters,” Hossain told the newspaper.

In the 2016 Assembly election, BJP leader Manoj Tigga had won from Madarihat constituency in Alipurduar, while party leader Swadhin Kumar Sarkar had won from Baisnabnagar constituency in Malda. In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, party leader S S Ahluwalia had won from Darjeeling constituency with the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha’s support.

A senior BJP leader said making inroads in North Bengal is not possible without the support of the minority populations in these districts. “We cannot produce a good electoral performance here with only Hindu votes. The party will have to tap the Muslim voters here to do well in panchayat polls,” the party leader added.

The party has started preparing for the rural polls scheduled for next year. “A state executive committee meeting of the party will be held in Cooch Behar district on November 23-24. BJP’s national general secretary (organisation) Shiv Prakash and state general secretary Pratap Banerjee will attend the meeting. Our central leadership is also giving emphasis on North Bengal districts to strengthen our organiation,” Hossain said.