Assembly Session: BJP backs TMC resolution against division of Bengal, Mamata agrees to Adhikari’s suggestions

Backing the resolution moved by the TMC, BJP MLA and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, proposed to include the line — “We want overall development of a united West Bengal. We are against any attempt to divide West Bengal” — in the motion. The proposal was accepted by Chief Minister Banerjee, paving the way for unanimous passage of the resolution.

Speaking in the Assembly, the chief minister said: “We believe in cooperative federalism. We are opposed to any attempt to divide the state.”

Notably, a similar resolution was passed by a voice vote in February last year.

It is to be noted that while state BJP president Sukanta Majumdar and some other party leaders have raked up the demands for carving out a separate state or Union Territory (UT) out of north Bengal districts, Leader of Opposition Adhikari has rejected it.

Soon after the Lok Sabha polls, in which the BJP saw its tally come down to 12 from the 18 it had won in 2019, Sukanta Majumdar called for a division of the state. On July 24, Majumdar appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to incorporate north Bengal into the Northeast. He said this way, more Central funds and development would come to the people of the region. Majumdar’s proposal was backed by BJP MP from Darjeeling, Raju Bista, who said that it was “logical” since “culturally rich north Bengal has vast resources, but gets only 0.002% of West Bengal’s annual budget”.

BJP MP Nagendra Ray, popularly known as Anant Maharaj, also demanded a separate state of Cooch Behar to be carved out of north Bengal. BJP’s Murshidabad MLA Gouri Shankar Ghosh supported party MP Nishikant Dubey’s demand for a UT by incorporating parts of Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand.

Adhikari, however, has taken a different stand from his party colleagues.

Sources in the BJP said the party has “no clear-cut strategy for Bengal unlike other states”. “The BJP central leadership wants holistic development for Bengal. But the party fell short of expectations in the elections. Therefore, the leaders are not sure how to proceed with plans for the state,” said a senior state party leader.

He said the statements on separate statehood made by various state BJP leaders reflected the “central leadership’s tendency to experiment with Bengal”. “People will assume that Bengal appears like a Frankenstein for carrying out experiments. This will further alienate us from the people of Bengal. If we continue to make such statements, we will lose further ground in the state. Suvendu Adhikari has rightly pointed out what should be our party’s stand regarding Bengal. We don’t want any division of Bengal,” said the BJP leader.