Abusive language has become Bengal BJP’s way to political mileage

Foul mouthed rants against rivals seem to have become West Bengal BJP’s main strategy for gaining more prominence in the state. BJP state president Dilip Ghosh is leading by example in this regard followed by his party colleagues. Publicity by any means, and even negative publicity, has become the saffron party’s way of getting a face to fight Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ahead of the Assembly elections next year.

Ghosh, arguably the most successful BJP president in West Bengal, is relentless in his bitter tirade against the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) with the sole objective of creating a public impression that his party is capable of taking TMC head on. If BJP’s tally of 18 seats from the state is anything to go by, his strategy has been rather successful as BJP has been able to occupy the main opposition space.

Despite the outrage following his controversial remark that "anti-CAA protesters were shot like dogs in BJP-ruled states", Ghosh did not budge from his stand. Unfazed by criticism, he later said that he will not change his stand. Within a few days, he took it to the next level while targeting a large section of Bengal’s intelligentsia for opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) . He said that “those who are not sure of their parentage are opposing CAA.”

Not to be left behind his colleagues, BJP MP from the Bishnupur constituency recently termed prominent personalities who are opposing CAA as “Mamata Banerjee’s dogs.” Defending his remark, state BJP general secretary Sayantan Basu told reporters that if they have a problem with the word “dogs” they can use “monkey” instead.

One has to keep in mind that the state BJP’s efforts to gain support of intellectuals has largely been unsuccessful as most of the prominent personalities have rebuffed the saffron party.

However, there are doubts inside the state BJP that the current strategy of “verbally abusing” political rivals and detractors may backfire.

“Such remarks are making headlines but they may end up alienating educated voters from BJP in Bengal,” said a senior BJP leader.