West Bengal: BJP fields Sandeshkhali woman survivor from Basihrat LS seat
KOLKATA: Surprising oppositions, the BJP roped in one of the women from strife-hit Sandeshkhali, who protested against TMC satraps’ atrocities in the North 24 Parganas island, as its candidate in Basirhat Lok Sabha constituency.
Rekha Patra’s nomination from Basirhat is said to be the saffron camp’s desperate attempt to use Sandeshkhali uproar, which became national outcry for demonstrations against the ruling party’s local leadership staged by local women for over a month, in its favour.
“Our party’s Hindutva rhetoric endorsed Rekha’s nomination. The women, who hit the roads in Sandeshkhali with sticks and brooms, were from Hindu community and their protests were against key accused Sheikh Shahjahan and his henchmen. Since the constituency’s Hindus form 54 per cent of the total electorates, consolidating them in our favour is our prime target,” said a senior BJP leader.
The leader also said since the BJP will be using Sandeshkhali uproar as its key poll-plan in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections to woo women electorates across the state, Rekha’s nomination is significant.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi kicked off his election campaign from three Lok Sabha constituencies, Arambag, Barasat and Krishnagar, from where three women won on TMC tickets in 2019. The PM raised the Sandeshkhali issue while addressing rallies in these three venues. The three LS constituencies were selected in the backdrop of the women’s protest in the island which caught national attention,” he said.