Following its drubbing at the hands of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in the West Bengal Assembly elections, the central leadership of the BJP has instructed the state unit to hold regular meetings with party leaders of other states regarding post-poll violence in the state.
BJP sources said that the aim is to drum up public opinion against the TMC and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the national level by highlighting the post-poll violence in Bengal through campaigning in other states.
State BJP sources said that due to the lockdown-like situation in West Bengal, it is not possible to hold protest demonstrations. “So the party leadership has decided to campaign on the post-poll violence issue at the national level by informing party leaders in other States,” one of the sources said.
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The source also said that cornering TMC supremo Banerjee at the national level is also a key objective of the initiative. The BJP has pressed into service leaders such as state president Dilip Ghosh, Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, Kailash Vijayvargiya and Bhupendra Yadav.
So far the state BJP leadership has held meetings with party leaders of 13 states and one Union Territory. The state BJP president has held meetings with BJP leaders in Uttar Pradesh, Manipur, Himachal Pradesh, Adhikari have spoken to party leaders in Gujarat and Meghalaya.
Vijayvargiya held meetings with party leaders in Bihar, Punjab, Uttrakhand and Yadav held meetings with Assam and Nagaland.
BJP sources said that while emphasis has been given on BJP ruled States, the party leadership is keen on intensifying the campaign even in Opposition-ruled states such as Chattisgarh and Rajasthan where the saffron party has a considerable organisational presence.
Ever since the Assembly election results have been declared, BJP has been alleging that their workers are coming under attack from TMC cadres across Bengal. They alleged that while many have fled from their home, those who want to return are being forced to pay a “fine” to the TMC.