As disagreements have become apparent within West Bengal’s BJP leadership, senior BJP leaders on Wednesday called for an organisational overhaul in a meeting, a first for the party after the Lok Sabha polls this year.
Speaking to the media, party MP Saumitra Khan said, “There is a need for change. No one will want to see a failed leader (running for elections repeatedly). New leaders must be given the opportunity to take the party ahead. If the state leadership cannot move in the right direction, the party will fail again.”
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Khan’s comments come after top leaders of the party have been arguing over whose responsibility it was for the party’s loss in the state.
Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari courted controversy after he said the party needs to do away with the motto of ‘Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas’ by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and do away with the party’s minority morcha (minority cell). On the other hand, BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar said that there was no question of changing the motto and that the minority wing is a part of the party structure across the country.
Under such circumstances, BJP leader Arun Singh called for his fellow leaders to “help people” instead of holding meetings behind closed doors. “The focus should be on the 2026 state Assembly polls. In West Bengal, one has to ensure that people exercise their franchise on the day of polling. To do that, leaders need to step out…To defeat (Chief Minister) Mamata Banerjee, who has the support of the police and goons, one has to adopt a different approach. Due to organisational weakness, we could not counter the TMC,” said Singh.
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While the party held the meeting at the Science City auditorium, a group of party workers staged a sit-in outside the state headquarters in central Kolkata, demanding action against certain state leaders whom they held responsible for the “poor” performance in the polls.
In 2024, the BJP saw its tally of West Bengal seats come down to 12 from the 18 it had won in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
In 2024, the BJP saw its tally of West Bengal seats come down to 12 from the 18 it had won in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. (File Photo)
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