KOLKATA: BJP’s West Bengal chapter is in a fix as the party's high command asked to send 40 leaders, including 10 MLAs, to poll-bound Tripura for campaigning at a time when the Bengal will be heading for panchayat elections and the ruling Trinamool Congress is all set to launch the new largescale outreach drive titled Didir Raksha Kavoch (protection from your sister) across the state in full swing.
Considering the rural polls a litmus test to gauge party’s electoral strength in grassroots level, the saffron camp planned to carry out political activities in every blocks across the state to highlight corruption by TMC leaders in rural Bengal. But the new directive to visit Tripura and camping there ahead of the Assembly polls has become a challenge for Bengal functionaries.
“It is like guarding a neighbour’s house and leaving your own house unprotected. By the time Assembly polls will be over in Tripura, dates for panchayat elections in Bengal will be announced. If our leaders camp in the northeast state, it will definitely affect our campaigning plan here,’’ said a BJP leader.
Sources in the saffron camp said the party is yet to build up strong organisational set-up at the ground level. “Our party leaders have been told by the national leadership to ensure presence of our men in every booth. We are yet to set up booth committees in 40 per cent of 90,000 polling booths before the panchayat elections. In such situation, if 40 of our leaders leave for Tripura and start camping there, how will we strengthen our network at the booth level?’’ asked the leader.
However, the names of 40 BJP leaders, including 10 MLAs, are yet to be finalised. A prominent BJP leader in north Bengal, the region which proved to be BJP’s stronghold since 2019 said, “On one hand, the party directed us to visit Tripura to ensure our victory in the upcoming Assembly polls and on the other hand, we have been asked to visit polling booths in Bengal and set up committees there. We are in a dilemma to ascertain which is our priority now.’’