KOLKATA: The BJP’s Bengal chapter has set up a 20-member committee headed by state president Sukanta Majumdar to oversee the party’s affairs in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
In a meeting held at the party’s Salt Lake office on Saturday, the members of the committee have been tasked with specific roles to play in the general elections.
Former state president and national vice president Dilip Ghosh was given a berth in the committee which has surprised many within the party as Ghosh is presently not in the hierarchy of state or national level of the party.
The committee comprises four Union ministers of state Subhash Sarkar, Nisith Pramanik, John Barla and Shantanu Thakur, general secretary (organisation) Amitava Chakrabarty, joint general secretary (organisation) Satish Dhond. Besides, five general secretaries, Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari and former state president Rahul Sinha and Midnapore MP Ghosh were included in the committee.
Setting up the committee is followed by Union minister Amit Shah’s Kolkata visit in December instructing the Bengal functionaries to form election monitoring committee and assign each of the members with specific responsibilities related to the Lok Sabha elections.
“Among the general secretaries, Jagannath Chattopadhyay will be responsible for overseeing the party’s affairs in conducting the elections. Dhond and Chakrabarty will also play a a key role,” said a senior BJP leader.
Inclusion of former state president Ghosh is believed to be an elevation of the senior party functionary in the state politics.
“Ghosh was the party’s face in Bengal in the 2019 general elections and 2021 Assembly polls for attacking the ruling Trinamool Congress. After completing his two consecutive years term as the party’s state head, he was engaged as the national vice president. But after a year, he was removed and Ghosh is presently an MP from Midnapore constituency,” said the leader.
Sources in the BJP said Ghosh recently was seen preferring to confine himself within the affairs of his constituency, instead of showing interest state-wide activities of the party.
“Ghosh became popular in the two previous elections. His inclusion in the party seems that he will again be used before the Lok Sabha elections and engaged in election campaigns for his fiery speech,” said another BJP leader.
Four central leaders have also been given responsibility in the upcoming general elections. Observer Mangal Pandey, two co-observers Amit Malviya and Asha Lakra are in the committee with BJP’s national general secretary Sunil Bansal, who is also in-charge of Odisha and Telangana.