From the dust of the Kolkata flyover collapse, BJP hopes to rise from the ashes

The disaster comes as a boon for the BJP in terms of raw politics.

kolkata, kolkata flyover collapse, flyover collapse, west bengal elections, west bengal polls, bjp

Rescue workers cut through parts of a partially collapsed overpass in Kolkata

Barely two days before the horrific collapse of the Vivekananda flyover in Kolkata, Amit Shah – the BJP’s national president — was in Kolkata to set the tone for the party’s electoral campaign in West Bengal. To quote his exact words, the slogan was – “Bangal main Parivartan nahin, Patan hain” which translates into: “There is no change in Bengal, there is only the fall and decline.”

Yesterday, Shah’s words seemed to be ringing tragically true as the massive under construction Vivekananda flyover collapsed in one of the most thickly populated localities of Kolkata, claiming 25 lives and injuring another 100. The day of the disaster, understandably, was a time to mourn and the BJP leaders both in Kolkata and Delhi appeared to be maintaining a low profile. But the Shah thread of a “fall and decline” in WB has been picked up since early today in Delhi and in Kolkata as well by the BJP leaders who could be the biggest political beneficiaries of this tragedy. A virulent attack on the Trinamool Congress government is what is being heard and witnessed for reasons, too obvious.

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The geographical location of the flyover fall is to the best advantage of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Jorasanko – assembly constituency under which it falls — has the largest concentration of business and trading community people in Bengal – Marawaris, Rajasthanis, Gujaratis and Biharis. Their political loyalty is also reflected in the ballot boxes through successive polls.

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For example, though the sitting MLA in Jorasanko assembly constituency is from the Trinamool Congress, in the last 2014 Lok Sabha polls BJP had polled the highest number of votes in Jorasanko – 45,075, followed by Trinamool Congress – 28,593, and Congress – 20,693 and the Left – 15,463.

Also, at least three Kolkata municipal wards form a tri-junction at the flyover collapse site which are at present held by the BJP councillors – Bijoy Ojha, Meena Devi Purohit and K Jhawar. So, the saffron hope of opening an account in the state assembly floats around Jorasanko.

The disaster comes as a boon for the BJP in terms of raw politics. No wonder that the party had fielded its most visible face in Bengal– Rahul Sinha — from this constituency. Sinha had been the president of the BJP’s Bengal unit for long and relinquished his post to a new one only recently. If the last Lok Sabha polls are any indication, Sinha has a bright chance. If one assumes that the bridge collapse will have an immediate impact on the residents of the area in Jorasanko, it is Sinha who is at an advantage.

Sad as it may sound but politics does seek its sustenance from such gory tragedy of death and destruction. The flyover collapse and its aftermath are proving no exception.

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