Fissures in Bengal BJP even after stunning success

Despite its success in West Bengal in the Lok Sabha elections, all is not well in the state BJP as one of the main architects of its rise, Mukul Roy has started to distance himself from the state leadership. According to BJP sources, Roy is not happy with the fact that he was not given a higher post even after BJP’s rise in West Bengal.

“It seems he wants to send a message to the party leadership by distancing himself from the state unit. He is keen on getting a key organisational post in the party,” said a state BJP leader close to Roy.

Currently, Roy is a member of BJP’s national executive. Other state leaders such as actor-turned-politician Joy Banerjee, who has not achieved much political success. also holds the same post in the party.

BJP sources further revealed that ever since the Lok Sabha election results were declared, Roy has almost stopped going to the State BJP headquarters in North Kolkata. He mostly conducts meetings with party workers at his flat in South Kolkata.

A section of the state BJP leaders are also not happy with Roy’s tactic of inducting leaders from other parties, especially the Trinamool Congress (TMC) by engineering defection. Even state BJP president and MP Dilip Ghosh has hinted at his displeasure at random induction of leaders from TMC into BJP.

The fissures in state BJP also became apparent on July 21, when the state BJP president called a media conference to convey his reaction to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s speech at TMC Marty’s Day Rally. Roy, who usually accompanies Ghosh in such press conferences, was not present.

When asked about it, Ghosh bluntly said that it as not necessary for Roy to be present at every party event.

“He (Roy) he is our central leader. He is inducting others in Delhi. This is a state issue and our presence will suffice. He is our major weapon... We will use him later,” said Ghosh.

However, Roy said that he is not a state leader and therefore it was not necessary for him to regularly go to the state office.