Bengal BJP suffers blow as rebels float new forum

Banerjee told mediapersons that the committee was a non-political organisation and they had no plans to convert it into a full-fledged political party. “We remain BJP members and we do not want to sever ties with our party. Our aim is to spread the message of Shyamaprasad Mookherjee in every corner of the state,” Banerjee said.

However, sources close to the rebels say the outfit is a prelude to a separate party that will contest the Assembly elections due early next year. Political observers feel the rebels have the blessings of Trinamool Congress leader and Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee, who herself is not on the best of terms with Sikder.

This was clear in a statement made by Rahul Sinha, who was dropped from the BJP’s earlier committee and has now found a place as general secretary in the new forum. “We will have to intensify our agitation against the Marxists. But our party is not serious enough about fighting them. The one party fighting the CPI(M) in all earnest is the Trinamool Congress,” Sinha said.

Banerjee — backed by general secretary Paras Dutta — had lost the contest for the post of state party president to present chief Ashim Ghosh last month. The election was marred by intense fighting and murky bickerings and ultimately became a battle royale between Dutta and Sikder. After Ghosh packed the new committee with his men, the rebel group decided to part ways. A couple of weeks back, Dutta walked out and joined the Trinamool Congress.

Meanwhile, party general secretary Sunil Shastry tried unsuccessfully to play down the formation of the new forum, saying that the rebel group was very much in the party. However, Ghosh, who was present at Shastry’s press conference, said that the party leadership did not approve of the committee. Shatry then said that the state leadership would sort out this issue. “We will discuss whether there was any need to have another committee on Shyamaprasad. We already have one,” Ghosh added.