KOLKATA: The difference in opinion among BJP’s Bengal outfit state functionaries has surfaced following growing rebellion within the party cadre. The rejig in organisational set-up, both at state and district-level before the upcoming municipal elections has left the party-state brass in much dilemma.
A section of party functionaries opined that dealing with the ongoing resentment among a section of party workers after the saffron camp’s unimpressive performance should be treated as main challenge before the civic polls while others preferred to follow the conventional way of restructuring the organisation’s set-up following the recent appointment of new state president.
Many BJP leaders said if party workers are removed from their positions during reshuffle, the party may witness more rebellion resulting large scale defection ahead of the municipal polls. Two major civic bodies, Kolkata municipal corporation and Howrah municipal corporation, will go to the poll on December 19.
‘‘The party already witnessed massive defection to Trinamool Congress (TMC) in the recent past resulting a jolt to the lower rung of the structure and higher level as well. Five of the party’s elected MLAs in the 2021 Assembly elections already changed their political allegiance and joined the TMC. Besides, a large number of grassroot workers, too, defected to the TMC,’’ said a BJP leader.
As per BJP’s conventional style of functioning – post the appointment of the new state chief – rejig in all of the party district segments has been carried out. “ Newly-appointed state president Sukanta Majumdar took charge of the state organisation in September and in the close circuit, he expressed his unhappiness over the issue of delaying the rejig exercise as he is working with the old hierarchy. But a section of state functionaries said if changes are made before the municipal elections, the campaigning for civic poll will be pushed aside as a secondary issue as rebellion triggered by the rejig will become prominent,’’ said another BJP leader.