BJP amends list of district observers in 24 hours after dissent

On Sunday, Bengal BJP vice-president Pratap Banerjee, who is in charge of the election office set up for the assembly polls, issued several lists, announcing the appointment of new observers, co-observers, convenors, co-convenors and also a few district presidents by state president Dilip Ghosh.

The appointment of observers of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) organizational districts in West Bengal on Sunday evening led to dissent in several areas and eventually forced the party to publish a revised list on Monday afternoon.

West Bengal BJP President Dilip Ghosh at a press meet in Kolkata on Monday. (PTI)

On Sunday, Bengal BJP vice-president Pratap Banerjee, who is in charge of the election office set up for the assembly polls due in about five months, issued several lists, announcing the appointment of new observers, co-observers, convenors, co-convenors and also a few district presidents by state president Dilip Ghosh. Observers were also appointed for all the morchas (fronts).

Among the most prominent names in the lists were that of former Kolkata mayor and minister Sovan Chatterjee and his friend Baisakhi Banerjee, a professor, who were appointed as observer and co-convenor respectively for the Kolkata zone.

This is the first time they were given official posts in the BJP after Chatterjee, who used to be one of the most loyal followers of Mamata Banerjee, left the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and joined the saffron camp last year. Another turncoat, Sankudeb Panda, was made the second co-convenor for Kolkata.

With dissent brewing in several BJP district units over induction of leaders and workers from the ruling party, the appointments raised eyebrows in several quarters. Simultaneously, rivalry among BJP leaders led to rumblings in districts such as Birbhum and South 24 Parganas.

Talking to HT on condition of anonymity, a senior state BJP leader said, “The rumblings among old BJP leaders will die down in no time. One has to understand that there is also a strategic aspect to the appointments in Kolkata and elsewhere. Those who have been made observers, co-observers and convenors will not be able to contest the coming elections.”

Baisakhi Banerjee, according to BJP leaders, had earlier insisted that Sovan Chatterjee and she should be given specific roles in the party. The duo stayed away from BJP programmes for months and BJP national secretary Arvind Menon had to hold meetings with them to make them pro-active.

“Looking at the current political scenario I think the most challenging area for the next election will be the Kolkata zone. I am fortunate enough to have Chatterjee’s guidance. I will try to do whatever the party decides for me. From my side there will be no dearth of commitment,” Banerjee said.

When it was pointed out that neither she nor Chatterjee will be able to contest the coming polls, Banerjee said, “Whatever the party decides for us is the leadership’s priority. We have nothing to say on that.”

In the BJP’s Kolkata north organizational zone, which covers the suburban areas in the city’s northern periphery and parts of the North 24 Parganas district, the district unit president Manas Bhattacharya was appointed as observer on Sunday. On Monday, he was replaced by Barackpore Lok Sabha member Arjun Singh.

“Initially I was reluctant to take the responsibility as I already have too many,” said Singh.

In a similar move, Ramkrishna Roy was named as observer for the Asansol zone where Union minister of state Babul Supriyo is the local Lok Sabha member. He was replaced within 24 hours by Saurav Sikdar.

Also, Dr Sawar Dhanania replaced Ramkrishna Paul as observer in the adjacent Burdwan district unit.

Among the district presidents who were removed was Shyama Pada Mondal from Birbhum. “I tried to do my best but the leadership’s decision is final,” Mondal told HT after handing the baton to Dhruba Saha, a younger leader, a day before Mamata Banerjee’s rally in the district’s Bolpur town where Union home minister Amit Shah led a grand roadshow on December 20.

Mondal and Hari Krishna Dutta, a veteran leader and president of the South 24 Parganas (East) district unit, were made special invitee members of the state unit.

“Dutta was failing to manage the ranks but there is resentment among a section of workers over appointment of his successor, Sunip Dutta,” said a senior district leader. Dutta could not be contacted despite several attempts.