Don't demand separate state, BJP chief Nadda tells party cadres in Bengal

KOLKATA: BJP national president JP Nadda, who was on his two-day visit to West Bengal, issued an instruction to party’s Bengal functionaries on Thursday making it clear that no one would raise the demand of separate statehood in Bengal as the party doesn’t endorse it.
 
"There has been examples that many of our leaders have aised demand for separate statehood in the recent past. Do not raise such demand from now. The BJP doesn’t endorse such demand," Nadda reportedly said while addressing a gathering of mandal presidents at the Sceince City auditorium.  
 
Nadda’s instruction came at a time when a section of BJP’s elected representatives raised demand for separate statehood in the recent past.
 
BJP MP in Bishnupur Saumitra Khan last month demanded separate statehood for tribal-dominated Junglemahal comprising four districts.
 
Similarly, John Barla, the MP from Alipurduar, also demanded statehood for Dooars and Hills in north Bengal on several occasions.
 
Though the most of the leadership in the state hierarchy never supported the demand for separate statehood, but a section of party leaders kept pressing the issue which clearly indicated a a division within the party over the issue.