KOLKATA: Following the completion of an internal survey to gauge the organisation’s strength in booth level before the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP high command came down heavily on BJP’s Bengal chapter for submitting exaggerated report on party’s strength in the grassroots.
In the internal survey, the central leadership found booth committees do not exist at many places though it was mentioned in the state unit’s report that was placed ahead of the 2021 Assembly elections in the state.
The BJP’s Bengal unit has now been asked to take certain steps to cross-check the report again.
Meanwhile, BJP's West Bengal unit general secretary Agnimitra Paul, who had unsuccessfully contested the recent Asansol Lok Sabha bypoll, on Monday said the role of party leaders who were in charge of the by-election should be looked into.
Her comment came at a time when the saffron camp in the state is witnessing infighting among its leaders.
Paul suffered a humiliating defeat to TMC candidate and Bollywood actor Shatrughan Sinha who won the bypoll by a margin of over 3,00,000 votes.
She apparently hinted at party leader Jitendra Tiwari, who had switched over to the saffron camp from the TMC ahead of the 2019 assembly elections, and said it is for the BJP leadership to look into the role of those who were in charge of the by-election as the next Lok Sabha elections are just two years away.
"I want to know what our workers were doing as we were confident of winning the seat by a margin of at least 30,000-40,000 votes. But the result was terrible. Yes, it is true there was rigging. At many places, we were unable to field booth agents. The role of such leaders needs to be looked into by the party. The next Lok Sabha elections are just two years away," Paul told reporters.
Reacting to her comments, Tiwari said one should express one's view in the party forum.
"She could have asked me instead of making such statements in the media. All of us should air voices in the party forum," he said.
The BJP in the state has been fighting hard to keep its flock together after former union minister Babul Supriyo and five legislators, including its national vice president Mukul Roy, switched over to the ruling TMC since the assembly poll results were announced in May last year.
(With PTI Inputs)