The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has stirred the pot in West Bengal by omitting three heavyweight leaders—Dilip Ghosh, Sukanta Majumdar, and Suvendu Adhikari—from its revamped state committee. Unveiled this week, the new lineup prioritizes youth and local organizers, signaling a strategic pivot.
What prompted this bold exclusion? BJP sources attribute it to a deliberate push for renewal. ‘We’ve been focusing on empowering district-level workers who delivered on the ground during membership drives and recent bypolls,’ explained a party strategist. This approach, they say, strengthens the party’s roots in a state dominated by TMC for over a decade.
Suvendu Adhikari, who famously defected from TMC to lead BJP’s charge in Nandigram, continues as Leader of Opposition but won’t feature in the committee. Similarly, Sukanta Majumdar’s state presidency role remains intact, while Dilip Ghosh’s veteran status hasn’t earned him a spot.
The committee now boasts 20 members, including fresh appointees like youth wing leaders and women representatives. This diversification is seen as BJP’s bid to broaden its appeal amid accusations of being a ‘North Indian party’ in Bengal.
Background context: BJP’s Bengal ambitions peaked post-2019 Lok Sabha polls but faltered in 2021 Assembly elections, securing just 77 seats against TMC’s 213. The 2024 parliamentary results were marginally better, yet disappointing.
Reactions have been mixed. Supporters hail it as ‘democratization,’ while detractors call it ‘purge of loyalists.’ BJP counters: ‘No one’s sidelined; positions evolve with needs.’
Looking ahead, this committee will oversee membership campaigns, voter outreach, and counter-TMC narratives on issues like Sandeshkhali violence and Waqf amendments. As Mamata gears up her machinery, BJP’s makeover could prove game-changing—or a misstep.