<p>Ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s two-day visit to West Bengal starting on November 5, a section of state BJP leaders want him to clarify Centre’s stand on the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).</p>.<p>According to sources in the state, BJP leaders were apprehensive that the delay and confusion over CAA implementation might turn refugee voters against BJP in the 2021 Assembly elections.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/is-bjp-seen-as-an-alternative-to-tmc-in-west-bengal-910205.html" target="_blank">Is BJP seen as an alternative to TMC in West Bengal?</a></strong></p>.<p>Sources further revealed that these leaders' main concern was the Matua community, a socio-religious sect formed by the 19th-century social reformer Harichand Thakur in modern-day Bangladesh.</p>.<p>Those belonging to the Namosudra caste are also deciding factor in 21 Assembly segments spread across the districts of Nadia, North 24 Paraganas and South 24 Paraganas.</p>.<p>According to sources, BJP leaders from the refugee-dominated border districts of Bengal were apprehensive that refugee voters would see this delay in implementation of the CAA as the saffron party’s failure to keep its promise.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/east-and-northeast/people-of-west-bengal-paying-price-for-tmcs-government-folly-says-governor-jagdeep-dhankhar-909840.html" target="_blank">People of West Bengal paying price for TMC's government folly, says Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar</a></strong></p>.<p>They even refused to buy the argument put forward by BJP's Central leadership including that of party president J P Nadda that the delay in implementation of CAA was because the rules for the Act had not yet been framed due to the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tag/covid-19" target="_blank">Covid-19</a> pandemic.</p>.<p>“The common people will not understand all these administrative complications. They will think that BJP cannot keep its promises,” said a senior state BJP leader from a border district.</p>.<p>BJP MP from the refugee-dominated Bongaon Lok Sabha seat Shantanu Thakur recently wrote to Amit Shah over the issue, and said that he was hopeful that the Centre would soon enact CAA.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/a-covid-19-disaster-in-bengal-thanks-to-puja-politics-904567.html" target="_blank">A Covid-19 disaster in Bengal thanks to Puja & politics?</a></strong></p>.<p>Another BJP MP Jagannath Sarkar from the Ranaghat constituency said that the CAA had been a demand for refugees for a long time and he was hopeful that it would soon come into force.</p>.<p>Apart from the CAA the issue of finalising BJP’s “face” in Bengal for the 2021 Assembly elections was another topic which a section of state BJP leaders want Shah to make clear. BJP sources said that without it the ongoing faction feud in the party would not get resolved.</p>
<p>Ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s two-day visit to West Bengal starting on November 5, a section of state BJP leaders want him to clarify Centre’s stand on the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).</p>.<p>According to sources in the state, BJP leaders were apprehensive that the delay and confusion over CAA implementation might turn refugee voters against BJP in the 2021 Assembly elections.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/is-bjp-seen-as-an-alternative-to-tmc-in-west-bengal-910205.html" target="_blank">Is BJP seen as an alternative to TMC in West Bengal?</a></strong></p>.<p>Sources further revealed that these leaders' main concern was the Matua community, a socio-religious sect formed by the 19th-century social reformer Harichand Thakur in modern-day Bangladesh.</p>.<p>Those belonging to the Namosudra caste are also deciding factor in 21 Assembly segments spread across the districts of Nadia, North 24 Paraganas and South 24 Paraganas.</p>.<p>According to sources, BJP leaders from the refugee-dominated border districts of Bengal were apprehensive that refugee voters would see this delay in implementation of the CAA as the saffron party’s failure to keep its promise.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/east-and-northeast/people-of-west-bengal-paying-price-for-tmcs-government-folly-says-governor-jagdeep-dhankhar-909840.html" target="_blank">People of West Bengal paying price for TMC's government folly, says Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar</a></strong></p>.<p>They even refused to buy the argument put forward by BJP's Central leadership including that of party president J P Nadda that the delay in implementation of CAA was because the rules for the Act had not yet been framed due to the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tag/covid-19" target="_blank">Covid-19</a> pandemic.</p>.<p>“The common people will not understand all these administrative complications. They will think that BJP cannot keep its promises,” said a senior state BJP leader from a border district.</p>.<p>BJP MP from the refugee-dominated Bongaon Lok Sabha seat Shantanu Thakur recently wrote to Amit Shah over the issue, and said that he was hopeful that the Centre would soon enact CAA.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/a-covid-19-disaster-in-bengal-thanks-to-puja-politics-904567.html" target="_blank">A Covid-19 disaster in Bengal thanks to Puja & politics?</a></strong></p>.<p>Another BJP MP Jagannath Sarkar from the Ranaghat constituency said that the CAA had been a demand for refugees for a long time and he was hopeful that it would soon come into force.</p>.<p>Apart from the CAA the issue of finalising BJP’s “face” in Bengal for the 2021 Assembly elections was another topic which a section of state BJP leaders want Shah to make clear. BJP sources said that without it the ongoing faction feud in the party would not get resolved.</p>
