Fearing attack, WB BJP skeptical about new campaign

The BJP central leadership's recent instruction to its state units to put up stickers that say "my family is BJP family" and BJP flags at the homes of party workers has created panic among the workers in West Bengal.

BJP sources told DH that party workers are apprehensive that putting up stickers and party flag at their homes may result in the homes getting attacked by Trinamool Congress cadres.

"BJP has definitely gained ground in West Bengal but we still have a long way to go before we can match the organisational clout of TMC in the state. This decision may put our workers into unnecessary trouble," a senior State BJP leader said.

A section of the state BJP leadership is also skeptical about the success of the move in Bengal, especially in the rural areas of the state.

Party sources revealed that despite BJP president Amit Shah’s instruction to set up booth committees in the about 77,000 polling booths in the state, the state leadership has been able to do it in only about 30,000 booths.

The decision to make party workers openly flaunt their BJP membership is aimed at showing the party’s growth in Bengal.

But it may backfire and end up cutting a sorry figure for the BJP in the state.

The BJP sources further revealed that even though the central leadership’s instruction is for all the state units the situation is different in Bengal.

"We tried to convince the central leadership that the condition in West Bengal may not be suitable to execute the decision successfully. But they brushed aside our argument," a state BJP leader said.

The fact that the state BJP leadership is not sure of how to deal with the situation became evident from a comment by Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh.

"We know there will be trouble. But we will face it," he said.

However, he also said BJP workers in Bengal are enthusiastically putting up the stickers and flags at their homes.

"The move will be a success as the party workers are fast overcoming their apprehension," said Ghosh.