Ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's visit, Bengal BJP faces heat of discontent

KOLKATA: Less than a week to go Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to visit the state, the BJP’s West Bengal unit continued to face the heat of discontent within the party as 15 functionaries of Barasat organisational committee in Kolkata’s adjoining North 24 Parganas district tendered resignation in one go on Sunday.

The dissent among the party leaders surfaced at a time when the BJP high command issued a dictate directing the state chapter to rejuvenate the party’s internal dispute and build up united image ahead of Shah’s visit starting from May 4.

The saffron camp had started facing erosion within the party since the debacle in the by-elections, in which the party failed to retain the Asansol Lok Sabha seat.

Three MLAs, including the state secretary, had stepped down from the state hierarchy and 14 district level functionaries in Nadia had tendered resignation within 48 hours of the results of the by-elections reflecting the saffron camp’s poor show.       

"All the dissidents expressed their discontent against the district president accusing him of favoritism and elevating "incompetent" faces shunning the party’s old and loyal workers. They, including a Mandal president, also held the top leadership of the district committee for failing to win a single ward in Barasat civic body," said a senior BJP leader.

In the mass resignation letter, the dissident BJP workers accused Tapas Mitra of being involved in anti-party activities.

"He not only gave priority to those who are close to him. Besides, he is hand in gloves with Trinamool Congress leaders and helped our rivals to get electoral gain in the civic polls," said Shyamal Roy, one of the functionaries who resigned on Sunday.  

Mitra, however, denied all allegations.

Sukanta Majumdar, BJP’s state president, said, "None of the district committee functionaries, who tendered resignation, talked to him on the issue of their grievance. I will talk to them and sort out the issue."

During his visit, Shah will hold a meeting with the party functionaries in Kolkata on May 6 where the state unit will explain the reasons behind the debacle in the by-elections.

"The discontent is expected to surface in Shah’s meeting which will not be a comfortable situation for the state leadership," said the BJP leader.