West Bengal BJP Faces Internal Revolt After Poor Lok Sabha Election Results
Kolkata: West Bengal BJP has been hit by an internal revolt after a poor performance in the Lok Sabha Election which has reduced the number of it's seats from 18 to 12 in the state.
Former Midnapore MP Dilip Ghosh, who lost at Bardhaman-Durgapur, alleged on Friday, “I haven't attended party programmes in the last four years. I am neither called nor asked for opinions. So I have been with the party workers and people.”
He added, “Over the last year or so, I gave time and spent money in Midnapore staying there extensively. But I was not allowed to fight the polls there. Now the result shows the effect.”
Embarrassing his party further, Mr Ghosh also questioned the decision to field former union minister Debashree Choudhury from her seat, Raiganj in North Dinajpur of North Bengal, to Kolkata South this time where she lost.
Mr Ghosh said, “I told her to stay in her turf and assured her of win since she became a minister from her seat. We won that seat this time also. But who won there in her place was a mere councillor of a municipality in a village! Who knew him?”
He pointed out, *What worked behind it and why, needs to be looked into. Something must have been there. Otherwise, were those, who are old and established party leaders, sent to lose this time? People plan to win the seats they lost. But now it seems that a plan was made to lose the seats which were won.”
On the other hand, former MP Locket Chatterjee, who lost at Hooghly, said, “There were some faults which need introspection and a discussion with our central leadership.”
Soumitra Khan, who won at Bishnupur in Bankura for the second consecutive time as a BJP MP, said, “Our party lost here because of some decisions of state leadership. We had four ministers here but they never went anywhere. It reflected in the result.”
Mr Khan said, “People have elected me to become a minister as they want the young in the front. I maintain good relations with some district TMC leaders.” His claim came days after TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee asserted that three BJP MPs have been in touch with his party for a switch.
